During the ceremony on Ash Wednesday, February 10th, Pope Francis will send 1,071 priests worldwide with special authority to pardon sins that carry penalties that only the Apostolic See can lift.

http://www.romereports.com/2016/02/05/the-pope-to-send-more-than-1-000-missionaries-in-charge-of-forgiving-special-sins
MSGR. RINO FISICHELLA
Jubilee organizer

“The Pope himself has given the faculty to all priests in the world to forgive the sin of abortion but in this case we speak of the five sins reserved to the Holy See. Only the Missionaries of Mercy can absolve from such sins, no other.”

The five sins that can be absolved by the missionaries are:

Forgive priests who have violated the secrecy of confession and those who have ordered bishops without the Pope’s approval.

They may also absolve a priest who has sexual relations with someone and then offers forgiveness for the act.

Finally, these Missionaries of Mercy may confess those who have desecrated the Eucharist or those that have used violence against the Pope.

This is an initiative that Pope Francis had already announced in the papal bull that outlines the philosophy behind his Jubilee. These 1,071 priests will travel the world to facilitate the acquittal of these sins during the Jubilee, and especially during Lent.