Abortion Question

[ClearWater]

If a woman had an abortion years ago, went to confession, was absolved by her priest and did the penance, was sorry for her sin, but she never went to a bishop, would she be forgiven and able to receive the sacraments?

 

[Anne1964]

Yes. The priest who heard her confession would have known at the time if he needed to refer her to the bishop and he would have told her how to proceed.

The sin of abortion incurs an automatic excommunication, meaning the person cannot receive any of the sacraments. In some countries, such as the US, bishops have given all priests the faculty to lift the excommunication. In some other countries, this authority has been reserved to bishops only.

What Pope Francis did was to grant all priests everywhere the authority to lift the excommunication incurred by the sin of abortion.

 

[ClearWater]

Ok. I understand. Thanks!

 

[brian_custer]

If a woman had an abortion years ago, went to confession, was absolved by her priest and did the penance, was sorry for her sin, but she never went to a bishop, would she be forgiven and able to receive the sacraments?

yes

 

[fred_conty]

If there is doubt in this woman’s mind about receiving forgiveness, then the best thing to do is bring this up in her next confession.

Then whether it was or wasn’t isn’t important any more because she submitted her question to the tribunal of God which has the final say. This will relieve her burden.