Bishop Barron calls new Massachusetts abortion law an attack on human dignity

Massachusetts has approved a law allowing abortion up to the moment of birth, provided the mother and the physician consent. Catholic leaders have condemned the measure, among them Bishop Robert Barron of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, who called it a "grave attack against the sanctity and dignity of every person."

Governor Maura Healey, who identifies as Catholic, signed the bill. Barron expressed outrage on social media, saying the law allows a fully developed child to be aborted just before birth, which he called an act of "infanticide."

Barron also criticized a group of women who applauded and celebrated the signing, calling their reaction "particularly repugnant." Archbishop Richard Henning of Boston said the legislation represents a "grave breach of the sanctity and dignity of every human being." He urged the community to keep promoting the beauty and the miracle of life.

Pressure to deny the governor Holy Communion

Many Catholics have demanded that Healey be denied Holy Communion after her support for the law. Catholic journalist Sachin Jose wrote on Twitter that the call to deny her Holy Communion had gained considerable traction, drawing close to 25,000 likes and thousands of retweets.

Critics have noted that Healey, who met Pope Francis in May 2024, contradicts the teaching of the pope, who firmly opposed abortion throughout his pontificate.

A call to defend life

Henning urged the faithful not to lose hope and to continue defending life, recalling the words of Scripture: "Choose life, that you may live" (Deuteronomy 30:19).