Bishops Vow to Fight Obama Abortion Agenda

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, meeting this week in Baltimore, took steps to mount an unprecedented campaign against a signature initiative of a major political party, vowing to aggressively oppose President-elect Obama and the Democrats in their efforts to pass the Freedom of Choice Act. The bill, sponsored by California Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and which Obama said would be among the first pieces of legislation he would sign if elected, would eliminate all conditions placed on access to abortions in the United States. It would also invalidate every state law designed to reduce abortions. The bishops vowed to fight the measure in Congress, and take it to court if it becomes law.

Auxiliary Bishop Thomas Paprocki, of President-elect Obama's hometown of Chicago, said that passage of FOCA could have "devastating consequences" for Catholic hospitals nationwide. The bill would make it illegal for church-run hospitals to refuse to perform abortions if they also provide gynecologic and obstetric services. Currently, some states allow exceptions for religious hospitals from performing medical services that they may find morally objectionable. Paprocki said that the bill's passage could result in the closing of all Catholic-run hospitals in the country.

"It could mean discontinuing obstetrics in our hospitals, and we may need to consider taking the drastic step of closing our Catholic hospitals entirely. It would not be sufficient to withdraw our sponsorship or to sell them to someone who would perform abortions. That would be a morally unacceptable cooperation in evil.

I do not think I'm being alarmist in considering such drastic steps. We need to respond in a morally appropriate, responsible fashion."

The bishops concluded their discussion of the proposed law by issuing a statement seeking areas of common ground with the incoming Obama Administration, but asserting the church's opposition to abortion. "The church is also resolute in opposing evil," the statement said. "[The bishops are] completely united and resolute in our teaching and defense of the unborn child from the moment of conception."

Abortion was not a big issue in the presidential campaign. Sen. John McCain briefly raised the issue in the third presidential debate, after the narrative of the election had already been long set. Obama did take criticism from conservatives and pro-life groups for his advocacy as a state senator for a bill that would have denied medical care to infants that survived an abortion attempt. Obama voted for against the Born Alive Infants Protection Act on three separate occasions and spoke against the bill on the floor of the Illinois Senate. Now that he has won the election, Catholic bishops are seeking to remind Obama that 54% of Catholics voted for him, despite his opposition to the church's teaching on abortion, while trying to reassert control over their wayward flock.