I’ll ask again....what did roman catholic women do who’d had an abortion and sought forgiveness prior to this if the priest couldn’t “forgive” their sin?
Abortion was considered a reserved sin: one so severe that the penitent needed, with the help of her confessor, to meet with the local bishop to decide upon the issue of absolution in each individual case.
Not sure how this topic veered off into other topics but to answer your question, there are 2 factors at work. Abortion is murder; hence it is a 'mortal' sin.
A serious, grave or mortal sin is the knowing and willful violation of God's law in a serious matter, for example, idolatry, adultery, murder, slander. These are all things gravely contrary to the love we owe God and, because of Him, our neighbor. As Jesus taught, when condemning even looking at a woman lustfully, sin can be both interior (choices of the will alone) or exterior (choices of the will carried into action). A man who willfully desires to fornicate, steal, murder or some other grave sin, has already seriously offended God by choosing interiorly what God has prohibited.Mortal sin is called mortal because it is the "spiritual" death of the soul (separation from God). If we are in the state of grace it loses this supernatural life for us. If we die without repenting we will lose Him for eternity. However, by turning our hearts back to Him and receiving the Sacrament of Penance we are restored to His friendship. Catholics are not allowed to receive Communion if they have unconfessed mortal sins.
That, however, entails a personal understanding: the individual must believe that what they are doing is wrong and agree to do it anyway.
Theologically, there’s no sin God cannot forgive, and there’s no sin he will not forgive if one confesses one’s sins with contrition and receives sacramental absolution.
John 20:21-23
21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
Up until now, abortion would result in self excommunication.
Excommunication is a word that is often bandied about by Catholics, non-Catholics, and the media. However, when properly understood within the context of canon law, it is a penalty that the Church only applies in the rarest of cases, as a last resort, and for the purpose of helping to bring about the offender’s repentance. Read More
A question for the non-catholic. How does your church deal with abortion by its members?