The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org. September 1, 2015 Pope to Let Priests Forgive "Contrite" Women Who Have Abortions ---------------------------------------------------------------- The Vatican has announced Pope Francis will allow Roman Catholic priests during the upcoming holy year to absolve women who have had an abortion. The Catholic Church stringently opposes abortion. But the pope said priests can forgive women who have had abortions if they seek forgiveness with a "contrite heart." The pope said, "I am well aware of the pressure that has led [women] to this decision. I know that it is an existential and moral ordeal." .