You Want To Know Why Priests Can Now Forgive Abortion Without Permission- Answered By Ask The Catholic Priest

Does Any Man Has Right To Forgive Sin

Question: 

Good evening Fr. I am not a Catholic but I want to know why the Pope has given authority for priests to forgive the sin of Abortion? Why was it that previously only bishops were given the authority to forgive this sin? What has changed? (Godfred, Accra)

*ANSWER*
Thanks dear. I am always delighted to receive questions from non-Catholics genuinely seeking to understand our Catholic beliefs without condemning. First, I have to say that you would better understand this new "law" if you were a Catholic because non-Catholics, as you know, don't agree sins can be forgiven by priests of God acting in his name. That is not the issue here. So for you to understand this new directive just accept, for the sake of understanding, that priests have the power from God to forgive sins. With this at the background let me now do the explanation.



Let me begin by saying nothing has really changed because sins of Abortions have always been forgiven by priests. Priests have always been allowed to forgive sins of Abortion in the past but they did that by first asking permission from the bishop. They could forgive the sins of Abortion by the fact of their priesthood but the law said before they can exercise this authority they should ask permission from the bishop first. So it was the permission to forgive Abortion that was reserved to the bishop and not necessarily the power/authority to forgive Abortion. Note that it was the permission and not the ability to forgive Abortion that priests asked from the bishop.



So before a priest could forgive Abortion (legally) he was to ask for that permission from the bishop first. Without the permission if he went ahead to forgive Abortion it was valid (the sin was forgiven) but unlawful (illegal) act. Valid because priests can forgive sins but unlawful because he had no permission or authority from the bishop to do so. It is like a driver without a driver's license. To drive legally you need a driver's license but there are some people who can drive very well but have no driver's license. When they drive it is illegal but it is still called driving. The license is only a prove that that person is legally allowed to drive. Though priests could 'drive' (forgive sins) they needed this "driver's license" (permission) from the bishop (to legally forgive Abortion).

Now, why this law for a priest to first seek permission from the bishop before forgiving Abortion. The answer is simple...because Abortion is a grave sin...it puts an end to an innocent life...it's murder. Only God gives life and takes life. So when one commits abortion he/she overthrows God so to say. It is a grave sin to assume or take over this duty of God. So by reserving the permission to forgive Abortion to the bishop people contemplating it would re-examine their decision knowing that the priest must go ask permission from the bishop before they could be forgiven. Some people could not stand this and so in many cases they kept the baby and saved life.



Reserving certain permissions or duties to a higher authority is not at all new to law. Certain crimes, as we know, can only be heard by the Supreme Court of a country and not by any other lower court because of their gravity or serious nature. Matters that concern the Constitution of a country or crimes like treason or attempting to overthrow a democratically elected government (coup d'etat) are sent straight to the Supreme Court. Why? Abortion...ending an innocent life is a "constitutional" matter. It affects the very existence of humanity. Thus the permission to forgive it was reserved to the bishop..the "supreme court".. of a diocese or locality.

In some ways because permission to forgive Abortion was reserved to the bishop some people felt bad to come to a priest about their abortion knowing that the priest had to go see the bishop first. "Why is it that only my sin the priest needs the bishop's permission to forgive it?"...some asked. In the end such people stayed away from Confession totally and chose to live in their shame (after all no one knows about it).

Pope Francis known as the "Mercy" Pope is saying people should be allowed to taste more of the mercy of God and feel the desire to always come to God for forgiveness in Confession. To make the mercy of God reach more people more easily, even those ashamed to come to Confession for Abortion, he decided to grant all priests the right to forgive Abortion WITHOUT first seeking permission from the bishop. Forgiveness should not be 'delayed' because a priest has to seek permission from the bishop. All who approach priests for Confession must feel sought after, loved, and forgiven by God. 

So it is the permission from the bishop to forgive Abortion that the Pope has removed. He hopes that removing this permission will not mean people can now commit Abortion easily but rather will help more people to freely come to Confession when they (in their weakness) commit Abortion and are truly repentant of the sin. The Pope explained that Abortion remains a grave sin and should never be taken lightly. However, "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.”



So, you see that the Pope is not now giving priests the authority to forgive sins of Abortions; priests have that authority already from Jesus himself (John 20:22-23) but rather he is now giving priests the right to permanently use that authority without first asking for permission. By this new "law", priests no longer need permission from the bishop before forgiving Abortion. It's like the Supreme Court decreeing that certain crimes reserved to it by law can now be heard in lower courts.

Now you can release the "assume you are a Catholic" tag that I asked of you in order for you to understand this very Catholic teaching. I respect other churches understanding of forgiveness of sin but this is our Catholic understanding and should be respected too. No need for arguments. After all by understanding it you don't become a Catholic.