Pope Francis went against the traditional Catholic rules on abortion when he announced on Tuesday that women who have had an abortion can seek forgiveness from priests during the coming Jubilee Year, reported CNN. Typically, people involved in abortion are automatically excommunicated until a bishop lifts the ban.
"I have decided, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to allow all priests for the Jubilee Year to absolve of the sin of abortion those who procure it and who also seek forgiveness," he said.
Francis also stated that many women seek an abortion because they "believe that they have no other option" and that compassion and mercy are the highest level virtues, reported BBC News.
The Jubilee Year runs from Dec. 8, 2015 to Nov. 26, 2015 and is considered one of the Catholic Church's most important events - it typically only takes place every 25 years unless a pope declares one due to extraordinary circumstances.
American Catholics are currently bitterly divided over abortion, and Francis' decision will likely lead to more division. A recent study conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 51 percent of American Catholics think that abortion should be legal in either all or most cases, compared to the 45 percent that think it should be illegal in either all or most cases.
U.S-based pro-choice organization Catholics for Choice supported Francis' decision and lauded it as an example of his continuing efforts to bridge the gap between what is expected of Catholics and how they actually live, reported Yahoo! News. However, the group does not believe that it will significantly impact the beliefs or actions of Catholic women.
"Despite what Pope Francis has said, I do not believe that Catholic women will be queuing up to ask for forgiveness," said Jon O'Brien, president of Catholics for Choice.
