Pope Francis has given all priests worldwide the power to forgive women for the ‘grave sin’ of having an abortion, saying that God’s mercy cannot be denied to those with a repentant heart. The head of the Catholic Church extended priests’ special permission to absolve the sin of abortion, making permanent a policy announced last year for the Holy Year of Mercy. USA Today reports: “I want to insist as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin because it puts an end to an innocent life,” the pope said, according to Vatican Radio. He added: “I can and I must state that there is no sin that God’s mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father.” The pope also opposed the death penalty, saying, “There can’t be a true punishment that comes without hope. If a penalty doesn’t have hope, it’s not a Christian penalty, it’s not human.” He also expressed his unease with life imprisonment, which he called a “sort of hidden death penalty.” In the Catholic Church, a jubilee — or a holy year — is a religious event that involves the forgiveness of sins, [...]
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