Has Pope Francis softened the Catholic stance on abortion?

Pope Francis on Monday indefinitely extended to all priests the ability to grant absolution for abortions, a historic move for the Roman Catholic church, which has been decidedly against the practice for centuries. On the surface, the move seems to be emblematic of a radical shift in church doctrine. Among religious institutions, the Roman Catholic church has one of the strongest official anti-abortion stances, opposing the procedure under nearly all circumstances.