Misericordia et Misera is an apostolic letter, which is a Catholic document issued by the Pope or in his name that makes doctrinal changes to Catholic churches and clergy around the world. Pope Francis made that change in Misericordia et Misera in 2016, at the end of the yearlong Jubilee of Mercy, which is a holy year that usually takes place every twenty-five years. In 2016, Pope Francis, the 266th pope of the Catholic Church, changed canon law, or the official rules of the Catholic Church, to also allow priests, who are heads of a single church or congregation, to forgive people for the sin of abortion. Because of that rationale, killing any embryo or fetus is considered immoral and against the teachings of the Catholic Church. Conception describes the point at which a woman’s egg is fertilized by a male sperm. The Catholic Church classifies abortion as a grave sin because the Church supports the idea that human life starts at conception. That applied to women who received abortions, doctors who performed abortions, or any other people who played a role in procuring an abortion. By extending that ability to priests, Pope Francis made forgiveness through the Catholic Church more accessible for women, doctors, and those who take part in an abortion, which started a discussion about the status of abortion in the Catholic Church in the twenty-first century.īefore Pope Francis’ letter, Catholic doctrine stated that abortion was a grave sin that could result in excommunication from the Catholic Church unless a person was forgiven by a bishop after confession. The extension provided in the letter did not change the status of abortion as a grave sin that could result in excommunication. Prior to the letter, the official rules of the Catholic Church did not state that priests could forgive abortion-related sins. Before Pope Francis’s letter, priests had some ability to grant forgiveness for the Catholic sin of abortion, but bishops had to grant that ability to the priests individually. Through the letter, Pope Francis gives priests the ability to grant forgiveness for abortion. Misericordia et Misera (Mercy with Misery) was a letter written by Pope Francis and published in Rome, Italy, on 20 November 2016.
“Misericordia et Misera” Section 12 (2016) by Pope Francis of the Catholic Church
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