{"id":47418,"date":"2022-11-17T17:39:55","date_gmt":"2022-11-17T17:39:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/5.capp-usa.org\/?p=47418"},"modified":"2026-07-28T16:47:04","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T16:47:04","slug":"will-god-forgive-an-abortion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/5.capp-usa.org\/es\/2022\/11\/will-god-forgive-an-abortion\/","title":{"rendered":"Will God Forgive an Abortion?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Will God Forgive an Abortion?<\/span><\/h1>\n

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by CAPP-USA<\/span><\/span><\/h5>\n

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Will God Forgive My Abortion?<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


<\/span>It is no stretch to think many women, after having an abortion, think to themselves, \u201cWill God forgive me?\u201d or \u201cWill I go to hell?\u201d or \u201cCan I ever forgive myself?\u201d<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Does God forgive abortion is a question not lost on the Church.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Catholic view on abortion is clear: \u201cAbortion is murder\u2026It\u2019s a human life, period.\u201d (Pope Francis)<\/a> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

But less understood is God\u2019s infinite mercy! And how \u201cIt is up to us\u2026to give voice to God and to show the face of his mercy<\/strong>\u201d. (Pope Francis)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Will<\/p>\n

While abortion is a grave sin, God's mercy is infinitely more powerful than our mistakes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Do Catholics support abortion? No. Can you be forgiven for an abortion? Absolutely!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cFormal cooperation in an abortion is a grave offense<\/strong>. The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life\u201d. However, \u201cthe Church does not thereby intend to restrict the scope of mercy.\u201d (CCC, 2272)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

God's Infinite Mercy<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


<\/span>Pope St. John Paul II said, <\/span><\/span>\u201cI would now like to say a special word<\/strong> to women who have had an abortion<\/strong>. The Church is aware of the many factors which may have influenced your decision, and she does not doubt that in many cases it was a painful and even shattering decision. The wound in your heart may not yet have healed. Certainly, what happened was and remains terribly wrong. But do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope<\/strong>. Try rather to understand what happened and face it honestly. If you have not already done so, give yourselves over with humility and trust to repentance. The Father of mercies is ready to give you his forgiveness and his peace in the Sacrament of Reconciliation.\u201d (Evangelium Vitae, 99)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

And, this same advice applies to your aborted child! \u201cTo the same Father and his mercy you can with sure hope entrust your child.\u201d (Evangelium Vitae, 99)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

After Abortion Care<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


<\/span>The Church understands that \u201cDecisions\u00a0that go against life sometimes\u00a0arise from difficult or even tragic situations of profound suffering, loneliness, a total lack of economic prospects, depression and anxiety about the future. Such circumstances can mitigate even to a notable degree subjective responsibility and the consequent culpability of those who make these choices which in themselves are evil.\u201d\u00a0(Pope St. John Paul II, 18)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding this, the Church realizes \u201cIt will likewise be necessary\u2026to provide [for] women<\/strong> who having unfortunately already had an abortion are now experiencing the full moral and existential tragedy of it. Many dioceses and volunteer organizations offer psychological and spiritual support for full human recovery. The solidarity of the Christian community cannot dispense with this type of co- responsibility.\u201d (Pope Benedict XVI)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

It Is Not Always Easy to Say \u201cYes\u201d to Life<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


<\/span>The Church defends the human dignity of the child and also the mother. Respect for life means \u201cThe Church\u2019s pastoral concern will [extend to]<\/strong> those families in particular which are in difficult or irregular situations.\u201d (Pope St. John Paul II, 65)<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI would also like to mention the situation of families living in dire poverty <\/strong>and great limitations\u2026In such difficult situations of need, the Church must\u2026show them God\u2019s mercy.\u201d\u00a0(Pope Francis, 49<\/a>)<\/a>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The guilt of abortion should not be borne alone. \u201cWhatever the cause, single parents<\/strong> must receive encouragement and support\u00a0from other families in the Christian community, and from the parish\u2019s pastoral outreach.\u201d\u00a0(Pope Francis, 252)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe Church, our mother, is committed to\u00a0supporting with all her strength the good and generous presence of fathers<\/strong>\u00a0in families\u201d\u00a0(Pope Francis)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

So, \u201cFor Christians\u2026an urgent and indispensable field for the apostolate and for Gospel witness is always open: to protect life with courage and love in all its stages.\u201d (Pope Benedict XVI)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Remember \u2014 You Can Help Others<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


<\/span><\/strong>\u201c[A]s a result of your own painful experience, you can be among the most eloquent defenders of everyone\u2019s right to life\u201d. (Evangelium Vitae, 99)<\/a> You can join in Pope Francis\u2019 call to women who find themselves in a similar situation to yours:<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWith great affection I urge all future mothers:\u00a0keep happy and let nothing rob you of the interior joy of motherhood<\/strong>\u2026Don\u2019t let fears, worries, other people\u2019s comments or problems lessen your joy at being God\u2019s means of bringing a new life to the world\u2026Try to experience this serene excitement amid all your many concerns, and ask the Lord to preserve your joy.\u201d (Pope Francis, 171)<\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dorothy Day<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/h2>\n


<\/span>Perhaps the best example of God\u2019s infinite mercy is the Mass celebrated by Timothy Cardinal Dolan, Archbishop of New York at New York\u2019s St. Patrick\u2019s Cathedral on December 8, 2021, the feast of the Immaculate Conception. The Mass was in celebration for Dorothy Day\u2019s cause for canonization advancing to Rome\u2019s Congregation for the Causes of Saints.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

Dorothy Day, who had an abortion, is being proposed for sainthood<\/strong>!<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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\"Will<\/p>\n

Dorothy Day's abortion did not exclude her from God's mercy and the Church's embrace<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

READ MORE:<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Should Abortion be Legal<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Is Abortion My Choice?<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Abortion Rights<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Quotes on Abortion from the Church<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Pope Francis on Abortion<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

What is Pro-Life?<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Reasons Why Abortion is Wrong<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Abortion in the Bible<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

More About Abortion<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div>
Back to Articles<\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>
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\"Three<\/div>

Three Key Principles<\/a><\/h2>

Catholic social teaching is built on three foundational principles -\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity<\/strong>,\u00a0Solidarity\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Subsidiarity.\u00a0<\/strong>Human Dignity, embodied in a correct understanding of the human person, is the greatest. The others flow from it. Good governments and good economic systems find ways of fostering the three principles.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Human Dignity<\/a><\/h2>

This means a correct understanding of the human person and of each person\u2019s unique value. All Catholic social teaching flows from this: the inherent dignity of every person that comes from being made in God\u2019s image.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Solidarity<\/a><\/h2>

Solidarity is not \u201ca feeling of vague compassion or shallow distress at the misfortunes of others. It is a firm and persevering determination to commit oneself to the common good\u201d. (Pope St. John Paul II, 38)<\/a> Love of God and love of neighbor are, in fact, linked and form one, single commandment.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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Subsidiarity<\/a><\/h2>

Subsidiarity \u201cis a fundamental principle of social philosophy, fixed and unchangeable, that one should not withdraw from individuals and commit to the community what they can accomplish by their own enterprise and industry. So, too, it is an injustice and at the same time a grave evil and a disturbance of right order to transfer to the larger and higher collectivity functions which can be performed and provided for by the lesser and subordinate bodies\u201d. (Pope Pius XI)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

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