What sins can the Missionaries of Mercy of Pope Francis absolve?

THE Gospels They make it clear that there is only one sin that is totally exempt from forgiveness. “Therefore I say to you, every sin and every blasphemy will be forgiven men, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven them” (Mt 12,31).

Jesus Christ gave the power to forgive to the apostles and their successors, bishops and priests. At the Council of Trent this was defined power of the Church to forgive sins.

Until 2016 the bishops intervened to forgive the following sins: abortion, heresy, schism and apostasy. This year, Pope francesco He ordered that abortion be condoned even by priests.

Since then, a handful of sins can only receive forgiveness from a special group of priestsof the bishops or, directly, of the Holy See.

What are the sins that a priest cannot forgive?

In reality, baptism is the first sacrament of forgive original sinwith which all people are born and linked to Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God. The Catechism teaches that «after having received the baptism that purifies us (…) there is absolutely nothing left to erase (…).

However, it does not free a person from all the weaknesses of nature. On the contrary, we still have to fight the movements of concupiscence that never cease to lead us to evil.”

So, for the sacrament of penance, the baptized person can be reconciled with God, as the catechism explains. The Council of Trent explains: «For those who have fallen after baptism, yes necessary for salvation this sacrament of penance, as baptism is for those who have not yet been regenerated.”

The catechism says it in this sense “There is no fault, however serious, that the Church cannot forgive”.. He adds that «Christ, who died for all men, wants that, in his Church, the doors of forgiveness are always open to anyone who returns from sin».

However, There are some sins that only bishops or the Holy See can forgive. In 2016 the Pope appointed 1,142 priests, called Missionaries of Mercy, who can forgive these sins reserved for bishops or the pontiff himself.

What sins can the Missionaries of Mercy of Pope Francis absolve?

The list of sins that only men can forgive Missionaries of Mercy, bishops or the Pope is the next one:

THE violation or profanation of the Eucharist (the consecrated bread and wine), a sin that is committed more frequently than one imagines.

Absolve those who have committed sin against the sixth commandment (“Do not commit impure acts”). That means, confess to an accomplice a sexual relationship between a priest and a woman or a man.

Unauthorized ordination of a bishopin which both those who carry it out and those who receive the ordination will be punished.

Violation of secret of confession by the confessor.

Exercise physical violence against the Pope. This could include expressions against the pontiff, although this concept is somewhat questionable.