Pope Francis says all priests can forgive abortion

[TJ in Oregon]

This is essentially a bureaucracy clean-up decision.

In addition to being a sin, knowingly procuring an abortion is a canonical crime, meaning the person who does it is (debatably as some canon lawyers say it is only the abortion provider) automatically excommunicated. So in order to receive absolution, the excommunication must be lifted first (NOT as a matter of theology but because of the Church's discipline). Formally, this requires the local bishop to do. However, in the vast majority of the world the bishops have granted their priests to do this. So in most places, the part of this announcement concerning abortion doesn't change anything. Pope Francis has just made that permission universal rather than dependent on the local bishop.

My 2¢ here is that this whole predicament is an example of the Church's bureaucracy getting in the way of its mission and it is good that the Pope is working to fix that. These canon laws were originally written as an attempt to bring sinners back who had turned away and pretending otherwise. It is clear in this case that the Church law does not function toward that goal today and this was needed in whatever places weren't doing it anyway.

The other half of this story (which isn't in the article) is that Pope Francis is also granting priests in the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX), which has a long, confusing, and irregular relationship with the Vatican, the authority to give absolution during the Year of Mercy. Some are hopeful that that particular divide can be healed in the coming years.

[TJ in Oregon]

I'm disappointed to see the Holy Father take a soft line on the schismatics of the SSPX.

Why? Do you want them giving out invalid absolutions as is the current situation? Wouldn't it be better if that particular problem were worked out rather than trying to nail them to the wall? Sure they've got some nutjobs in the SSPX, I'll grant you that, but there are also some well-meaning people who go there unknowingly too. Apart from their authority concerns, the SSPX pretty much believe in the teachings of the Catholic Church (and often a whole lot moreso than many of those who aren't in an irregular situation). Heck, if there was anything resembling mutual trust between them and the hierarchy, the schism would have been over by now. Why breed more? And more importantly what about the effect on the people who go to them for Confession?

Also, Pope Francis, when he was still in Buenos Aires, helped get the SSPX recognized by the Argentine government as being part of the Roman Catholic Church. There are a lot of people out there on the internet saying mean things (as always) but there isn't an reason to think Pope Francis hates the SSPX. If anything, I think he wants to help heal the schism.