title:  The Pope Just Took MAJOR Step In Abortion Rights; Conservatives LIVID
text: While the United States and a few European countries seem to be taking a major right-hand political turn, Pope Francis made a stunning announcement in an apostolic letter on Monday that is setting conservatives on fire. While he s far short of allowing full reproductive rights among Catholics, he s decreed that women who ve had abortions don t have to go to Hell.In the letter, Pope Francis granted a special dispensation to priests and bishops that would allow them to absolve the sins of abortion.While this dispensation might have thousands, if not more, Catholic women breathing sighs of relief, the church isn t inviting abortion. In fact, the Pope specifically wrote,  I wish to restate as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin, since it puts an end to an innocent life. However, in perhaps the Church s first acknowledgement that women are people and not just birthing vessels, Pope Francis also said: 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.  The letter continues:  May every priest, therefore, be a guide, support and comfort to penitents on this journey of special reconciliation. I henceforth grant to all priests, in virtue of their ministry, the faculty to absolve those who have committed the sin of procured abortion. This move is incremental. In 1983, Pope John Paul allowed bishops to lift excommunications to women who ve had abortions. Some bishops allowed priests to do the same, but this will be the first time that women around the world will be able to approach their priests, hoping they ll be granted forgiveness, with an actual chance of getting it.Still, conservatives want none of it:@FoxNews There has always been forgiveness it doesn t make the Sin of killing ones own Child less Atrocious They she be shunned from Society  GodBlessAmerica ?? (@brianknewhouse) November 21, 2016@tmchand @FoxNews If you followed His Sacred Heart you would know better May his Spirit give you Understanding and Wisdom ?? pic.twitter.com/39RS3um2OJ  GodBlessAmerica ?? (@brianknewhouse) November 21, 2016@FoxNews absolvement of murder. oh christianity, how far you have fallen.  thevortexFxT (@thevortexFxT) November 21, 2016@DRUDGE_REPORT And people thought we were kidding when we said this pope is not a catholic but a communist in sheeps clothing.  Brad (@Brad_D80) November 21, 2016@DRUDGE_REPORT #Eugenics AND the New World Order has more power over this so called Pope than God? Only God can forgive!  PrepperAgenda (@PrepperAgenda) November 21, 2016@DRUDGE_REPORT This shit head is worse than a Borgia Pope.  Comrade Strontium (@Mr_Strontium) November 21, 2016@DRUDGE_REPORT  Oh you killed a baby? That s OK say 10 Hail Marys rub these beads and You ll be just fine    @Pontifex  Bobby Lee (@BobbyLeeTN) November 21, 2016@DRUDGE_REPORT Once again an activist Pope trying to undermine the Catholic Church with Progressive Liberal Socialist ideas. He is wrong!  Hosscart (@rjnuff) November 21, 2016Even with this declaration, the Catholic Church is still in another century when it comes to a woman s right to choose, but, as conservatives  reactions are showing, this declaration puts the church miles ahead of the American Republican party.Featured image via Franco Origlia/Getty Images