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"I henceforth grant to all priests, in virtue of their ministry, the faculty to absolve those who have committed the sin of procured abortion."
In an apostolic letter released earlier today Pope Francis extended the right to forgive abortion to priests worldwide indefinitely, CNN reports.
"I wish to restate as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin, since it puts an end to an innocent life," the letter reads. "In the same way, however, I can and must state that there is no sin that God's mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father."
Pope Francis' actions make it clear that he is fighting for a more inclusive Catholic Church, stating earlier in the year that Christians should apologize to the gay 'for whom it has offended.'
Last year the Vatican described the Church's actions as "a widening of the church's mercy."
"May every priest, therefore, be a guide, support and comfort to penitents on this journey of special reconciliation," the letter continues, with Pope Francis concluding, "I henceforth grant to all priests, in virtue of their ministry, the faculty to absolve those who have committed the sin of procured abortion."
