But do you think a “wink wink” confusion of teaching might be possible? Francis saying I can’t change this church teaching but not everyone can live up to it - the result being that those using contraception find no reason to repent and continue to live with the pie in the sky expectation that the Church will change an unchangeable teaching.
Holy Spirit, cleanse Your Church.
What you suggest is very conceivable as a mindset, but it seems to me the opposite of mercy. Negligent indulgence is not mercy.