Some Catholic abortion foes are uneasy about overturning Roe

NEW YORK — Top leaders of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called on the faithful to pray and fast Friday, in hopes the Supreme Court is on track to overturn the constitutional right to abortion. Professor O. Carter Snead, who teaches law and political science at the University of Notre Dame, said via email that most Catholics engaging in anti-abortion activism “are not hard political partisans but rather people seeking to care for moms and babies by whatever means are available.” As an example, Snead cited Notre Dame’s de Nicola Center for Ethics and Culture – which he directs – and one of its initiatives, called “Women and Children First: Imagining a Post-Roe World.” Through teaching, research and public engagement, the initiative seeks to strengthen support for “women, children, and families in need.” However, achieving broad bipartisan collaboration on such initiatives may not come soon, Snead acknowledged. “The goal is justice for pre-born persons who have a right to live, to be loved, to be raised in a family.” Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas – an outspoken critic of Catholic politicians who support abortion rights — said abortion opponents “must continue to provide support and care for the mothers who find themselves in difficult situations.” “I pray that we may move to a place where mother and child are both held as sacred and society supports both lives in every way possible,” he said via email. “They either haven’t thought through the consequences, or they are OK with the consequences — a higher rate of infant mortality, more women seeking unsafe abortions, more families driven to desperate measures.” Thomas Reese, a Jesuit priest who writes for Religion News Service, suggested in a column that reversal of Roe should be an occasion for reassessment by the many bishops who embraced the Republican Party because of its anti-abortion stance. In fact, except for abortion, its proposals are the opposite of Catholic social teaching.” Assuming Roe is overturned, Reese added, “the bishops can declare victory on abortion and turn their focus to social programs.