Abortion
Library

You Are Not Alone: Information for Catholic Women on the Abortion Decision

2015, 12 pp.
“You Are Not Alone” is a new resource for Catholic women who are making the abortion decision. Time and time again, we hear that clinic staff and providers need a resource that uses a pastoral perspective to reach the Catholic women in their clinics. Speaking directly from the Catholic reality of individual conscience and morality in decision-making, this publication affirms Catholic women’s decisions through a solid grounding in our religious tradition. Order copies of “You Are Not Alone.”

No Estás Sola

2015, 12 pp.
“No estás sola” un nuevo recurso para las mujeres católicas que están tomando la decisión del aborto. Una y otra vez, nos enteramos de que el personal de la clínica y los proveedores necesitan un recurso que utiliza una perspectiva pastoral para llegar a las mujeres católicas en sus clínicas. Hablando directamente de la realidad católica de la conciencia individual y la moral en la toma de decisiones, esta publicación afirma decisiones de las mujeres católicas a través de una base sólida en nuestra tradición religiosa.

The Facts Tell the Story: Catholics and Choice

2014, 12 pp.
“The Facts Tell the Story” provides the latest data about American Catholics’ support for and use of legal abortion, contraception and other reproductive healthcare issues.

An International Summit on Reproductive Choice [PDF]

Abortion in Poland: The Change that Never Happened

Conscience Vol. XXIV – No. 1 (2013) – pages 38 – 39
Piotr Kalbarczyk provides another perspective on the situation in Poland, where there appears to be little movement in overturning the draconian ban on abortion.

Conspiracy or Confusion?: Abortion Politics in Britain

Conscience Vol. XXIV – No. 1 (2013) – pages 42 – 44
Jennie Bristow, the editor of Reproductive Review, tries to make sense of what has been happening in the United Kingdom, where a rudderless government initiates and withdraws attacks on abortion access with no coherent aim in sight.

Recognizing Conscience in Abortion Provision

2012
Writing in the New England Journal of Medicine, Dr. Lisa Harris expresses a view too rarely heard: for some doctors “the failure to offer abortion care generates a crisis of conscience.”

London Declaration of Prochoice Principles

2012
In September 2012, Jon O’Brien of Catholics for Choice and Ann Furedi of the UK abortion provider bpas convened an international meeting of abortion providers, advocates and academics at Chandos House in London to talk about what it means to be prochoice.

The statement from the meeting is being discussed in the prochoice community around the world to foster reflection, conversation and our understanding of what it means to support choice.

La verdad sobre las personas católicas y aborto [PDF]

2015, 8 pp.
Las enseñanzas de la Iglesia sobre las decisions morales y el aborto son complejas—mucho más compleja que los obispos nos harían creer. Este publicación de Catholics for Choice demuestra cómo las enseñanzas de la iglesia dejan un amplio espacio para los católicos para afirmar que el aborto puede ser una opción moral.

The Truth About Catholics and Abortion [PDF]

2011, 12 pp.
Church teachings on moral decision-making and abortion are complex—far more complex than the bishops would have us believe. This new publication from Catholics for Choice reveals how church teachings leave ample room for Catholics to affirm that abortion can be a moral choice.

A Statement on Later Abortion

2010
In 2010, Catholics for Choice convened a meeting about later abortion with another organization, Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health, to provide a chance to discuss a topic even seasoned advocates are not well informed about and to explore what, if anything, can and should be done for women who need later abortions. From this meeting came the following statement—not intended or designed to be an all-encompassing or exhaustive statement but more a moral and ethical assertion as to how we feel about this issue, why we think this issue matters and why in good conscience we must address it.

Catholics and Abortion: Notes on Canon Law No. 1

2010, 13 pp. 
From our popular Notes on Canon Law series, a brief and straightforward analysis of what the Catholic church’s canon law says about abortion and what it means for the rights of prochoice Catholics.

Spaniards’ Views on Abortion– Analysis of a nationwide public opinion survey in Spain

Click here for the full results of the poll in Spanish.

November 2009
The Spanish public is currently engaged in a national debate over potential changes to the nation’s abortion laws. Belden Russonello & Stewart worked with Catholics for Choice to conduct public opinion research on Spaniards’ attitudes toward abortion and their views on Catholic Bishops’ efforts to restrict access to abortion. The short survey reported here is based on 1,001 interviews with Spaniards age 18 and over, conducted from November 10 to 13, 2009.

Presenting the Case for Conscience

Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice, gave a keynote speech to leaders working in women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights at the Ipas-sponsored Future of Abortion: Controversies & Care conference. In “Presenting the Case for Conscience,” Mr. O’Brien explored what Catholic teachings say about conscience, how abortion is an issue of conscience for women, doctors and the public, and how to maintain services while respecting the consciences of all.

Abortion and Women of Color

Conscience Vol. XXIX – No. 3 (2008)
Susan A. Cohen, director of government affairs at the Guttmacher Institute, sheds light on why abortion rates are higher for women of color.  Cohen explores the complex connection between financial situations, contraceptive use and overall healthcare, and proposes ways to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies.

Rights in the Church: Notes on Canon Law No. 2

2006, 16 pp.
Can divorced and remarried Catholics receive communion? Can a prochoice Catholic politician be turned away from the altar? Do parishioners have a right to know how the pastor and bishop are spending their contributions? The second in CFC’s popular Notes on Canon Law series provides guidance on what rights policy makers and individuals have under the Catholic church’s canon law.

A World View: Catholic Attitudes on Sexual Behavior and Reproductive Health

2004, 28 pp.

Also available in Spanish

An indispensable report that provides opinion data, demographical information and behaviors of Catholics from dozens of countries around the world. While the institutional Roman Catholic church—at the global, national and local levels—exerts substantial influence on public policy and even medical practices in reproductive health, the data reveal that the policies advocated by the pope and bishops do not reflect the diversity of attitudes and practices among Catholic people themselves. On contraception, abortion, condoms for HIV-prevention and other matters of family life, Catholic attitudes and behavior often clash with church teaching.

Catholics for Choice