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Published: October 23, 2008
“Clear case of intrinsically unjust law”
Bishops say Roe v. Wade should be reversed, warn about ‘Freedom of Choice Act’ – but say Catholic response to abortion must also include “social and economic support for pregnant women”
News release from U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Oct. 21, 2008
For immediate release
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- "Our faith requires us to oppose abortion on demand and to provide help to mothers facing challenging pregnancies," Cardinal Justin Rigali of Philadelphia and Bishop William Murphy of Rockville Centre, N.Y., said in an Oct. 21 statement. The bishops urged Catholics to study the teaching of the Church, rather than rely on statements and materials from outside groups and individuals.
 Cardinal Rigali and Bishop Murphy made the joint statement in response to arguments that the Church should accept the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision on abortion as a "permanent fixture of constitutional law" and should concede that the only way to reduce abortions is to provide more government support for pregnant women. At the same time, the two bishops also responded to those who argue that the Church's efforts against abortion should focus solely on restoring recognition for unborn children's human rights and that proposals to provide social and economic support for pregnant women distract from that effort.
Cardinal Rigali chairs of the U.S. bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities. Bishop Murphy chairs the bishops' Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development.
"Providing support for pregnant women so they choose to have their babies is a necessary but not sufficient response to abortion. Similarly, reversal of Roe is a necessary but not sufficient condition for restoring an order of justice in our society's treatment of defenseless human life," they said.
The bishops also noted that "in 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision knocked down laws against abortion in all 50 states, fabricating a constitutional 'right' to abortion that continues to haunt and divide our society... Roe v. Wade is a clear case of an 'intrinsically unjust law' we are morally obliged to oppose. Reversing it is not a mere political tactic, but a moral imperative for Catholics and others who respect human life," they said.
The bishops added that legalizing abortion had greatly increased annual abortions in the United States. "The law is a teacher, and Roe taught many women, physicians and others that abortion is an acceptable answer to a wide range of problems."
 The bishops noted strides made in modifying Roe v. Wade's unjust legal precedent and drew attention to the many lives saved by the modest laws and regulations allowed under Roe. They voiced concern that the pending pro-abortion "Freedom of Choice Act" (S. 1173, H.R. 1964) in Congress would threaten strides made in limiting abortions. "Bans on public funding [of abortion], laws requiring informed consent for women and parental involvement for minors, and other modest and widely supported laws have saved millions of lives. Laws made possible by reversing Roe would save many more," they said.
"On the other hand, this progress could be lost through a key pro-abortion proposal, the 'Freedom of Choice Act,' which supporters say would knock down hundreds of current pro-life laws and forbid any public program to 'discriminate' against abortion in providing services to women," Cardinal Rigali and Bishop Murphy said.
"By protecting the child's life to the maximum degree possible, improving life-affirming support for pregnant women, and changing the attitudes and prejudices imposed on many women to make them see abortion as an acceptable or necessary solution, we will truly help build a culture of life," they said.
Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 5:46 AM By Dominic
Wow! The bishops don't have a clue, nor did I before this morning. Read the article "Christians and the Pro-Life Ploy" by Dr.G.C. Dilsaver.
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 6:01 AM By Ray'C55
We have to get our priests more involved. There is so little talk about abortion in our Long Island churches. They must wholeheartedly endorse pro-life action.
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 6:47 AM By Camille
The church fathers seem to be going through a sudden light dawning political reform regarding abortion. For decades Birthright has struggled along on individual donor assistance while hoping and praying that the church would provide support. The Evangelical churches support the Pregnancy Centers. It's only now when Obama is running and it appears that there might be a Democrat, single party takeover of government that the Bishops suddenly find it worthwhile to work on supporting the financially dependent and socially abandoned pregnant woman.
Perhaps if alll the Social Justice units within the Diocese would abandon their socialist mentality to government dependency for everyone and really worked on justice pregnant women would be given the services they need, babies would be saved, the faithful would come back to church.
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 7:16 AM By Margie
We have come to a point in this nation where both sides claim that they want to reduce the number of abortions. Although I am skeptical of the "proabortion" side who wants to use the very instruments of birth control and sex education that led to this tsunami of bloodshed, I give them credit for lip service. This is more than they have stated in the past.
I truly wonder how many "prochoice" folks fund crisis pregnancy centers, support maternity homes, take in unwed mothers and encourage women in crisis pregnancies to carry to term. I am unaware of any of my prochoice friends who do so but perhaps they like to keep their good deeds a secret...
As a sidewalk counselor in Sacramento, I have had occasion to meet many Christian women who feel such a lack of support from their partner, their family, their friends, and their churches that they feel abortion is their only option. This saddens me. How often the help is right there, it is offered and refused. I pray that we live to see the day when people prefer the opinion of God to the opinion of man.
I thank Cardinal Rigali and Bishop Murphy for their sentiments. Progress has been slow and the church has been relatively silent or I would not be seeing the number of bumper stickers in the church parking lot in support of a radical presidential candidate who refuses to vote to aid a child born from a botched abortion.
Hearts must change in order for lives to be saved. And, Sacramento, we need more folks praying out at the killing sites for the 40 Days for Life.
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 7:57 AM By Eileen
If it is a clear case of an intrinsically unjust law...... Why then are the Bishops not completely united in enforcing Canon 915 with all of the Catholic legislators who have clearly made it lawful?
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 8:14 AM By St. Christopher
How much better America would be if we spent our money on federal and state programs that would assist young mothers-to-be with education and pre-natal care and, if the mother-to-be so chose, adoption. Not death, but life for the innocent, at least to give them a chance and not turn the mother into something she will always regret. This is the big lie in the abortion industry; that women are cared for. In fact, women are merely economic units to make unscrupulous doctors significant money and to permit feminist and homosexual activists to use the abortion right as a foundation for licentious behavior and for further challenges to family life and the proper moral order. The bishops are correct, we need to offer help to women at all levels, including after the birth of their child, so that the mothers also have a chance at education and at obtaining meaningful jobs.
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 9:01 AM By John
Weak talk to the nth degree!!!! When Edward Cardinal Egan invited Obama to be a featured speaker for a Catholic fundraiser and then laughed at Obama's canned jokes, he disgraced his office and vows and should resign.
Where is the bishop who will say that a Catholic cannot vote for Obama/Biden?
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 9:54 AM By Dugan
Finally, courageous Bishops!! Keep up the good work...but where were you 20 years ago before we got into this big mess?
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 11:55 AM By garvan
Eileen: the bishops do not enforce Canon 915 because they would lose the hundreds of millions of $$ funneled to various Catholic activities by the Congress. Let not your heart be troubled, though. Just keep in mind what St. John Chrysostom said: "The floor of hell is paved with the skulls of bishops."
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 2:06 PM By Elizabeth
Let us continue to pray for our Shepherds that they will be courageous and 'be not afraid'.....
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 3:05 PM By J H
Eileen, I agree with you, and garvan, your opinion is probably true; however, our Catholic faith cries out for ALL Catholic bishops in America to be UNITED in their stance against distributing Holy Communion to politicians who are pro-choice.
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Posted Thursday, October 23, 2008 6:41 PM By JLS
Eileen, I think that is what they are in the process of doing now ... making it clear to the public as to what they will be doing, such as substantial numbers of key excommunications. What it is that is motivating them now could be either or both public outcry or God.
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Posted Friday, October 24, 2008 6:25 AM By JLS
When we pray for the bishops, we also have to be ready for the answer to our prayers.
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Posted Friday, October 24, 2008 1:17 PM By Mary
lStart Now. Every mass we attend from now until the election. Pray loud and clear.
No MORE DEAD BABIES! Ask the lord to convict every Catholic to stand shoulder to shoulder across our land and vote NO on every pro abortion politician...starting at the top down.
Then start the prayer campaign with the message that "EVERY BISHOP, CARDINAL, PRIEST AND PASTOR,
REINFORCE FROM THE PULPIT THE WORDS OF BENEDICT VI.....anyone who votes pro-life is complicite in the murder of that child.
And then we constantly e-mail our brave leaders because we still have two Sundays left to SAVE THE BABIES.
Now is the time for all of us to stand up for what is right and go right to the source of the problem.....weak intimidated Bishops!
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Posted Friday, October 24, 2008 5:18 PM By Fr. M.P.
"The bishops urged Catholics to study the teaching of the Church, rather than rely on statements and materials from outside groups and individuals." This shows the power of media influencing people with lies, and so preventing them from hearing the truth. Every Catholic today needs to turn off the TV more and spend some time in learning the teachings of the Church on the major moral issues of today.
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Posted Saturday, October 25, 2008 11:55 AM By JohnnyV13
I see this as a positive step by the Bishops. Many Christians have long ignored the fact that one of the factors that drove people to legalize abortion was that American society used to stigmatize single mothers. When so called "moral" people treated them with abuse and contempt, many sought to avoid this cruelty by committing a horrible act against their unborn child. If there is any positive that can be gleaned from Roe, I think it is that Roe has forced Christians to act like Christians. Yet this tragic lesson with respect to the fruit of ridicule and cruelty seems lost on most Christians.
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Posted Saturday, October 25, 2008 12:10 PM By Angie
I see this as bishops trying to cover their own guilty tracks.
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Posted Saturday, October 25, 2008 8:10 PM By JohnnyV13
Angie, perhaps you are correct. But, any recognition that so called "moral" people have that they bear some blame for abortion is a good thing.
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Posted Sunday, October 26, 2008 1:46 PM By Dai Yoshida
JohnnyV13: I disagree with your notion that abortion was legalized as a result of society stigmatizing single mothers. If this was a major factor, why do abortion providers target minorities? Why not target WASP women whose social circle is far less tolerant of single mothers? I disagree that Roe forced Christians to act like Christian. Is our society more Christian with increase in absentee fathers (the main cause of single motherhood)? As a minority raised in South Central L.A., I find your assumption condescending and insulting.
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Posted Sunday, October 26, 2008 5:19 PM By Anne T.
Amen! Fr. M.P. The T.V. programs used to be clean when I was young. Now they are filthy.
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Posted Sunday, October 26, 2008 8:58 PM By JLS
"This is Bishop Rene H. Gracida, reminding all Catholics that they must vote in this election with an informed conscience. A Catholic cannot be said to have voted in this election with a good conscience if they have voted for a pro-abortion candidate. Barack Hussein Obama is a pro-abortion candidate." From a radio broadcast, quoted by Randal Terry on Catholic Online.
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Posted Sunday, October 26, 2008 11:12 PM By Victoria G.
JLS, how people vote is none of your business. They can do just fine without the threats and intimidation of the church; and people like you.
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Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 3:51 AM By JohnnyV13
Dai, How exactly am I condescending and insulting? Abusing and stigmatizing single mothers certainly occurred in America's past. You don't see these motives in Roe's legal analysis, but certainly its common sense to think these issues drove many feminists. Heck, read literature from the 40's and 50's to see the kind of esteem single mothers commanded in that era. State supported abortion clinics target poor people, because they don't have the financial ability to exercise their privacy rights (as feminists view the issue). And, a disproportionate number of minorities are poor. What I meant by forcing Christians to act like Christians, I meant the terrible consequences of Roe blasted away the social ridicule of single mothers, and made christians seek to support and help them. If you want to argue that abortion clinics are some kind of state conspiricy to reduce minority numbers, why would the state have ever passed Aid to Families with dependent children (AFDC)?
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Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 5:46 AM By Fr. M.P.
Abortion was legalized because of the loss of faith, which means people throw God out of their lives. The result is the selfish paganism which makes "reasonable" excuses for every sin under the sun. No one with God in their life murders babies or wants to allow them to be murdered.
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Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 5:55 AM By Dai Yoshida
Victoria G: People cannot make an informed choice if people like JLS does not inform them of his view in addition to all other views. What people do with that information is their business. You have no right to suppress his voice. The Church have an obligation to instruct the faithfuls what is expected of them. They also have a right to exclude any members who purposely defy Church teachings. This is not threat/intimidation. This is the teachings of Jesus Christ.
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Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 6:41 AM By JLS
So, Victoria G., you have assaulted my Constitutional right to free speech.
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Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 3:57 PM By JohnnyV13
Fr. MP, do people who use God's rules as a club to humiliate and ridicule others to advance themselves up the social pecking order have God in their lives? Or could this practice be one of Satan's clever ways of twisting God's Word into sin?
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Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 4:19 PM By JohnnyV13
Fr. MP, if loss of faith caused abortion to be legalized, is the solution to then pass laws compelling people to attend catholic church? Would it be ehtical for the catholic church to support such a law? Why or why not?
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Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 7:58 PM By JLS
JV13, your "social pecking order" is not the same thing as the hierarchy of God's Kingdom, but only an attempt to develop the real thing, at best, and at worst an imitation.
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Posted Monday, October 27, 2008 10:49 PM By JohnnyV13
JLS, calling me a "vaudville" act is pretty funny coming from someone who tried to use the "abortion is wrong b/c its not natural" argument. Is chemotherapy natural? Is immunization natural? THere is obviously something else going on besides the natural/unnatural dichotomy. You might as well just say "abortion is wrong because the church says its wrong". That is the limit of your understanding. Why not admit it?
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Posted Tuesday, October 28, 2008 6:42 AM By JLS
Thanks JV13, your sense of humor is noted. As for your new joke, that my understanding is limited and I should admit it ... yes, I confess, my understanding is limited. Long ago I opted to go beyond my limits and tap into the perfect understanding of God, as revealed and taught by the Holy Mother Church.
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Posted Tuesday, October 28, 2008 7:15 AM By Dai Yoshida
JLS: Go easy on JohnnyV13. You keep driving these guys away. "Heck" I haven't been this entertained in months. :-)
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Posted Tuesday, October 28, 2008 9:16 AM By Fr. M.P.
JohnnyV13, your proposed solution is a non-starter. Let's move away from the legal clause you proposed and go back to concepts, as one does when doing the work you do. As I mentioned in other responses, no one can be forced to love. No one can be compelled to follow Jesus and His teachings because even Almighty God, who is all powerful, does not impose His Will on us. He tells us His Law - the 10 Commandments - and the details of how to live it through His Church (the Magisterium). He tells us of the consequences of failing to love - pure selfishness separated from God forever, which is called hell. So let's get to the implementation of that concept. The early Christians had no law, no clout, nothing but faith lived in love to convert souls. Anyone who became a Christian had a high likelihood of martyrdom. Why would someone do that knowing the secular consequences? Because of love. That's what converted people. Law had nothing to do with it. Love did it. And unjust laws then exist as they do now. So if more people, particularly the Catholics who are *obligated* to do so, would truly live a life of faith working in charity, then California and the whole world would repent. But that is not happening, and we are instead in the great apostasy. Many Jews rejected Jesus because He did not come as the conquering (imposing) King. And what is truly twisted is your claim that people who speak God's Truth are using clubs and therefore are following satan. God's Word is only perceived as a club to evil-doers. Rather satan instills doubt and disobedience to God's Word, using every clever excuse under the sun.
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Posted Tuesday, October 28, 2008 7:16 PM By JLS
Dai, when these pagans get through with me, I might actually become civil, just out of the charity needed to communicate to them the message of Christ. "In Christ Jesus all things work to the good", and hopefully in my case also for the benefit of those who are not in Christ Jesus.
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Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2008 5:14 AM By Grace
It's too bad this society has lost the concept of shame. Single women *should* feel shame if they get pregnant out of wedlock. What has been the result of this lack of shame? The sky rocking of illegitimate births and the increase of fatherless homes and the breakdown of the family. This is hardly a good thing.
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Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2008 6:01 AM By Fr. M.P.
JLS brings up a great point: "I opted to go beyond my limits and tap into the perfect understanding of God, as revealed and taught by the Holy Mother Church." God's One Holy Apostolic Church has all the answers to everything in life. Just imagine how miserable this world would be if we were limited to our own understanding. Many say that we create our own reality. How puny is that distorted perception, compared to true reality. This shows how relativism constricts reality, providing the truly narrow-minded view, since it is limited to one's own opinion, which cannot understand all things.
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Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2008 2:05 PM By JLS
I wonder how history might have been had Jesus not come to us. His only people were fading out, Rome was in charge of the western world. Would the world simply have seen a succession of greater and greater empires like Rome? The Jews were not winning many converts, not expanding as civilization rose to greater technological developments such as paved roads and safe travel among nations. Thus, without Christ, the world would have swamped Judaism and maybe even buried it ... and the hopes to meet with their Creator some day. How propitious a moment was it, the advent of Jesus Christ, Who united the western world and much of the eastern in mere centuries!!! Thirtysixhundred years (3600 years), almost four millenium of God reconstituting mankind ... a once in a "lifetime" of humanity event, ongoing. Who really can believe that God is going to go away, and His efforts come to naught?
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Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2008 8:27 PM By JLS
I just read where 50 bishops now are proclaiming that this election is all about abortion. Fifty bishops!!!
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Posted Wednesday, October 29, 2008 11:16 PM By Brenda
Both candidates disagree with those bishops.
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