NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

      GLASGOW, Scotland (CWNews.com) - Cardinal Thomas Winning of Glasgow last week issued a new directive to archdiocesan priests, allowing them to offer absolution for women who had procured an abortion without having to first refer them to the archbishop.

      Procuring an abortion had once been a "reserved sin" in which the confessor was required to send the penitent person to the bishop to receive absolution because of the grave matter involved. Although the practice was officially ended with the 1983 Code of Canon Law, the cardinal made the announcement in hopes of reconciling lapsed Catholics.

      The cardinal said he wanted to give those involved with abortion the opportunity to "make peace with God and their unborn child." He said, "God is ready to give you His forgiveness. Certainly, what happened was and remains terribly wrong, but do not give in to discouragement and do not lose hope."

      Cardinal Winning's remarks came as he spoke on the second anniversary of a pro-life initiative that offers help to women considering abortion. He announced that the 107th baby born under the program was delivered on Monday and a further 46 women were due to give birth.

      Meanwhile, Noticias Eclesia reported in Church News out of Mexico City that Cardinal Norberto Rivera, Archbishop of Mexico, warned that no authority can force Catholics to hide their faith nor can impose them "to live in schizophrenia or in duality asking them to behave in one way as citizens and in another as believers."

      The Mexican Cardinal urged Catholics to live a committed coherence with their faith in all circumstances of life. All this was stated in the context of the debate generated by the presentation of a bill that would eliminate penalization for abortion.

      He insisted that Catholics can not reduce Christian life to the knowledge of the Creed, nor a mere moral or a series of rites. Faith, he continued, is not only a «party dress that one takes out of the wardrobe in order to go to Mass on Sundays», but it must be the light of our lives.