VATICAN CITY -- Pope Francis is applying his vision of a merciful church to women who have had abortions, saying in a letter Tuesday that he realizes some felt they had no choice but to make "this agonizing and painful decision."
In the letter published by the Holy See, Francis said he was allowing all priests to grant absolution during the Holy Year of Mercy he has proclaimed, which runs from Dec. 8 to Nov. 20, 2016.
The Roman Catholic Church views abortion as such a grave sin that it put the matter of granting forgiveness in the hands of a bishop, who could either hear the woman's confession himself or delegate that to a priest who is expert in such situations.
Now, Francis is making it possible for women to bypass this formalized process while putting the focus on "contrite" hearts.
In a statement after the pope's letter, the Vatican made clear that "forgiveness of the sin of abortion does not condone abortion nor minimize its grave effects. The newness is clearly Pope Francis' pastoral approach."
Jessica Gonzalez-Rojas, executive director of the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, a New York-based abortion-rights organization, called it significant that the pope "recognizes the need to talk about abortion." But she said Francis' statement perpetuates the idea that women who have an abortion should be ashamed.
"We reject any attempt to impose judgment or shame on someone based on deeply personal decisions about health, pregnancy and whether to become a parent," Gonzalez-Rojas said.
In the United States, many bishops already allow priests to absolve women who have had abortions, while in other dioceses, bishops have reserved the decision for themselves, said the Rev. James Martin, editor-at-large of the Jesuit magazine America.
The pope's directive on Tuesday "reminds priests of the need for mercy, and it also takes a very pastoral tone toward women who have had an abortion," Martin said.
New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan, who will host Francis in the city later this month during the pope's visit to the United States, noted that priests in his diocese have had the authority to forgive the sin of abortion for about three decades.
"I hope that this announcement by the Holy Father will encourage many people to come forward to find the true peace and healing through this beautiful and tender Sacrament of Reconciliation," Dolan wrote on his blog.
Francis made clear that he isn't downplaying the gravity of abortion. But he emphasized that abortion is an intensely personal, often anguished choice for women.
"The tragedy of abortion is experienced by some with a superficial awareness, as if not realizing the extreme harm that such an act entails," Francis wrote. "Many others on the other hand, although experiencing this moment as a defeat, believe that they have no other option."
Francis drew on decades of experience with faithful in his native Argentina, including as Buenos Aires archbishop.
"I have met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonizing and painful decision," the pope wrote.
"The forgiveness of God cannot be denied to one who has repented, especially when that person approaches the sacrament of confession with a sincere heart in order to obtain reconciliation with the Father," Francis said.
He said that is why he has decided to concede to all priests "the discretion to absolve of the sin of abortion those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it," Francis said.
The pope also said that a Catholic who confesses to a priest of the Society of St. Pius X, a breakaway group, will still be considered forgiven, writing, "This Jubilee Year of Mercy excludes no one."
No change foreseen
Jon O'Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, said he doubts women are going to be lining up for confession anytime soon. "It's welcome that Francis is taking a different approach on the issue," O'Brien said. "The fact that this guy would try to make an effort to say, on the issue of abortion, we can sit down together, it doesn't change the injustice of the hierarchy's position, but I think that's profoundly important."
Setting up a special year for forgiveness will probably not change Catholic attitudes on abortion, O'Brien said.
"I'm not seeing this as real change we need," O'Brien said. "However, gestures are really important. Francis is big on gestures. The idea that he's making a gesture sends a message to us."
Maureen Tilley, a theologian at Fordham University, noted that under some circumstances, a woman who has had an abortion is automatically excommunicated if she wasn't under coercion or suffering from a psychological problem that affected her decision-making.
To be readmitted to the church, it's customary for the woman to be asked to perform some penance, such as making a pilgrimage, along with seeking absolution.
"We haven't seen any doctrinal changes, but by emphasizing mercy, Francis can affect the way people see the Church," University of Notre Dame theology professor Candida Moss said in an email. "And a change in tone can, in this case, amount to a change in character."
On Francis' home continent, many of the faithful approved of the pope's decision.
In Brazil, which has more Catholics than any other nation and where abortion is permitted only when a woman's life is endangered, Renata Maia welcomed the pope's move as she walked up the steps of a church in Rio de Janeiro.
"While I'm against taking a life, I also know that women who have had abortions need forgiveness," said Maia, a 36-year-old mother of two.
Rosangela Talib, a coordinator at the Sao Paulo-based group Catholics for the Right to Decide, welcomed the development but said, "it would be far more important if it didn't have an expiration date."
"It should be permanent, not just during the Year of Mercy," she said.
Popes have been proclaiming holy years since 1300, for special blessings and the forgiveness of sins. Those who can are urged to make a pilgrimage to Rome, while others who can't travel are asked to participate by performing an act of penance. These jubilees are typically held every 25 or 30 years, but the pope has the discretion to call them at any time. The last was in 2000, called by Pope John Paul II.
Information for this article was contributed by Frances D'emilio, Rachel Zoll and Brad Brooks of The Associated Press; and by Sarah Pulliam Bailey and Michelle Boorstein of The Washington Post.
A Section on 09/02/2015