Plouffe welcomes new, more forgiving tone from the Vatican

A recent pronouncement by Pope Francis allowing parish priests to forgive women who have had abortions is part of a new tone coming from the Vatican, says the Bishop of the Diocese of Sault Ste. Marie.

“He is definitely changing the focus,” said Bishop Jean-Louis Plouffe. “The focus has been so much on moral issues, where mostly it's about this is right, this is wrong. Quite often today, people aren't even sure why this is right and this is wrong.

“What he's done, he's inviting us to focus more on the gospel. It's a breath of fresh air for many to know that mercy and reconciliation and forgiveness is upheld."

Francis made the declaration on abortion Sept. 1, and followed it up this week by streamlining the process by which Catholics can annul marriages. He also is sponsoring refugees at the Vatican and is challenging all European parishes to do the same.

“Faced with the tragedy of tens of thousands of refugees who flee death from war or hunger, on a journey towards the hope of life, the Gospel calls to us and asks us to be close to them, to the smallest and the abandoned; to give them real hope,” the Pope is quoted as saying on the Vatican's website.

“Therefore, as we near the Jubilee of Mercy, I wish to address an appeal to the parishes, religious communities, monasteries and shrines throughout Europe to express the concreteness of the Gospel and to welcome a family of refugees.”

The Jubilee Year of Mercy begins Dec. 8, coinciding with the Catholic feast of the Immaculate Conception and the 50th anniversary of the closing of the Second Vatican Council. It will end Nov. 20 next year, the day celebrated that year as the feast of Christ the King.

Plouffe said while not changing doctrine, Francis has changed the conversation surrounding the Catholic Church by emphasizing forgiveness and humility. While the church in the last decade has been in the headlines because of sex abuse scandals, or for condemning things like same-sex marriage, things have changed since Francis came to the Vatican in 2013.

"It's the spirit behind all of this – when the Pope comes out and says I want my church to be a church of mercy,” he said. "I really think this is a very good move for the Pope."

While the abortion edict won't have an effect in Sudbury, since priests have had that power for some time, Plouffe said such initiatives can have a big impact on Catholics who have terminated pregnancies and feel alienated from the church.

"So many of them have never received any compassion from anyone outside their own lives, and they've had to bear this particular choice alone," Plouffe said.

"They have to know that God forgives. God forgives. It's very important in life to know that, at times, we males we make choices in life that we regret, because we hurt ourselves, hurt other people or whatever.

"It's good to know that, over and beyond the aftermath of a poor choice, God forgives."