A Catholic advocacy group is urging Massachusetts bishops to excommunicate Governor Maura Healey after she signed legislation that removes restrictions on late-term abortions, allowing them up until birth. The law, known as the "Prioritizing Patient Access to Care Act," was signed on August 10 and gives physicians more discretion in performing late-term abortions without legal penalties. Previously, Massachusetts allowed abortions after 24 weeks only under specific circumstances, such as preserving the mother's health or in cases of fatal fetal diagnoses. The new law will take effect on November 8, aligning Massachusetts with states that have no gestational limits on abortion.
CatholicVote, the advocacy group, claims that Healey's actions constitute a grave sin and should result in her being barred from receiving sacraments. Kelsey Reinhardt, president of CatholicVote, wrote an open letter to the bishops, referencing canon law that states anyone who procures or assists in procuring an abortion incurs automatic excommunication. Reinhardt emphasized that Healey's signing of the law makes her an accomplice in the public expansion of abortion.
Reinhardt criticized Healey's public signing ceremony, where abortion advocates were present, calling it scandalous for a Catholic politician. After the bill's passage in July, the Catholic Bishops of Massachusetts issued a statement condemning the legislation as "a radical measure which is gravely immoral." However, Reinhardt believes that a mere statement of condemnation is insufficient and that excommunication should be considered.
Other religious figures, including Bishop Ceirion H. Dewar, have echoed calls for Healey's excommunication. The Governor's Office, the Archdiocese of Boston, and the Massachusetts Catholic Conference did not respond to requests for comment. Healey has defended the legislation as essential for women's healthcare, stating that it ensures access to necessary medical care in consultation with doctors. Massachusetts now joins several other states in removing gestational limits on abortion.