A Consistent Life Ethic Prioritizes Abortion's End

Given what we have already been through over the last few decades, it seems impossible that abortion politics in the U.S. Catholic Church could have reached a new fever pitch. But with the recent vote by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to prepare a document that, among other things, is likely to outline the conditions under which Catholics may be denied the Eucharist, that appears to be what is happening. The move to create such a document was supported by a supermajority of bishops and, frankly, will likely not say anything that has not already been said. Abortion is, of course, by no means the only priority for the bishops, but prenatal justice remains their pre-eminent priority, as stated in their prior document "Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship."