Pope Francis is allowing all priests to absolve the “grave sin” of abortion, extending special permission he had granted them for the Holy Year of Mercy.
Francis wrote in Misericordia et Misera, an apostolic letter concluding the Year of Mercy, that “there is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach”, while reiterating that “abortion is a grave sin”.
In his letter, Pope Francis formally gave all priests permanent permission to grant absolution to those who confess to having procured an abortion. Many bishops around the world, especially in the United States, routinely grant that faculty to all their priests. But without formal permission, priests had been required to consult their bishops before granting absolution to a woman who had an abortion or those directly involved in the procedure.
