The California Catholic Conference, “the staff office of the California Catholic Conference of Bishops,” has withdrawn its opposition and adopted a neutral position on one of the most extreme pro-abortion bills ever introduced in the California state legislature.
Assembly Bill 2223 would allow anyone to commit abortions, by any means, through all nine months of pregnancy. And even if a baby is born alive, the bill would penalize state authorities who investigate infant deaths, effectively legalizing infanticide. The bill’s author, Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, credits the Conference with helping her craft the language of the bill surrounding “perinatal death.”
The bill has been approved by the assembly and is currently sailing through the state senate committees with the support of the state’s Democrat supermajority.
The California legislature introduced more than a dozen extreme pro-abortion bills this year that would do everything from subsidizing abortion travel to California, to building new abortion clinics in Los Angeles, to recruiting and maintaining an abortion “corps” in the state Department of Public Health.
Assemblywoman Wicks introduced AB 2223 in mid-February. The bill would give legal immunity to a woman and anyone assists her in reaching any “pregnancy outcome,” including “miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion, or perinatal death.” Further, the bill would prohibit a coroner’s report from being used in a criminal prosecution against a mother or someone who assisted her in killing her child.
The California Catholic Conference published its opposition to AB 2223 when the bill went to its first committee hearing on April 6. The bill passed, with the perinatal death reference amended to: “perinatal death due to a pregnancy-related cause.”
The Conference’s official opposition statement to the bill was shockingly weak:
The California Catholic Conference shares the concerns of Assemblymember Wicks that women not be prosecuted for pregnancy outcomes, including abortion, miscarriage, and stillbirth. Whenever women experience pregnancy loss, whether intentional or unintentional, the caring response of the community is critical in helping women and families heal…
The California Catholic Conference opposes AB 2223 unless amended to redefine or substitute the term “perinatal death” to definitively exclude infant death due to abuse or neglect.
I reached out to Kathleen Domingo on April 6 to ask why the Conference’s opposition statement implied that their opposition was limited to the infanticide aspect. I also asked why the Conference prioritized healing for mothers who kill their unborn children. To be consistent, shouldn’t they also oppose prosecution and support healing for mothers who kill their born children? I received no response.
On May 19, AB 2223’s reference to perinatal death was amended again, to its current wording: “perinatal death due to causes that occurred in utero.”
In response, the California Catholic Conference withdrew its opposition to the bill. Kathleen Domingo released a statement, claiming:
This change definitely closes the door on potential unintended consequences of permitting infant deaths due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment, alleviating the concerns that the CCC brought to the author’s attention…
The California Catholic Conference is grateful to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and to Assemblymember Wicks and her staff for working with us to clarify and narrow the bill language. The CCC will be removing its opposition to AB 2223 and will remain neutral on the bill….
The above comes from a July 13 story in LifeSite News.
I’ve read this bill and went to Sacramento to protest it. How can the Bishops now give support to an abortion bill? I’d love to hear or see an explanation from the Bishops on their reasoning in giving any support to this at all.
They aren’t supporting it, they’ll tell you: they changed their stance from opposition to neutrality.
So, it sounds like the CCC is philosophically neutral on abortion [which is essentially first degree murder in-utero]
This is most likely Rotund Robert McElroy’s work. Let’s all pray for him.
The bishops act like politicians, instead of shepherds.
If bishops delegate too much, they’re not even in the game. There’s still time for one or all to speak up and formalize direct opposition
Even an amended bill needs clearly be opposed by our Conference, and in our parishes and in our bulletin and in Catholic media, continue to state the significance of protecting the sanctity of life, and the consequences when we do not.
The head of the CCC is getting a salary of near $200k for her work. The result is the CCC is neutral on abortion legislation. Say goodbye to the Catholic Church in California. Fr. Serra, you gave it a great start, but your successors have betrayed you.
Now I’ll be angry. Look at that pic: take all those effing statues down, wherever that is and wipe those smiles off your faces. You’re neutral regarding the murder of children. How despicable you are! Christ would take a whip to all those statues and knock them down because they represent superficiality, pretense, lies. Then he’d drive you out of that meeting room and chastise you for your cowardice.
200k for her salary….i used to tithe diligently 10% out of every pay check i received, thinking it was my duty to support the church. I stopped doing that several years ago for this exact reason. I now donate my money to specific causes such as Unbound, a catholic child sponsorship program helping families in third world countries, catholic pregnancy resource centers, and St. Vincent De Paul.
I’m so disappointed in our Church for failing to stand up and do what right for fear of ruffling any feathers.
the CCC will be removing its opposition to AB 2223 and will remain neutral on the bill….” and the lukewarm He will spit out of His mouth
Cowardice and faithlessness has reigned in our Church, among our top clerical leaders, since the days of the Council.
The bishops don’t care. Some of them don’t even believe.
Jesus is disappointed.
COWARDS!
This totally aligns with the new Pontifical Academy of Life move to open to ” possibilities”. Let us pray the the world’s bishop do not have in hand new internal- use only directives on this as they seem to have had for handling the priest abuse crisis that finally broke the dam. May this not be the removal of the katechon, by human hands
Withdrawing opposition is NOT the same as supporting. The CCC is NOT supporting the bill. They are not listed as support. Check the bill’s legislative page for yourself.
They aren’t opposing the murder of children. Says enough.
We know the CCC is not “listed as support”. on this bill.
The Bishops’ neutrality is a scandal.
Why do you obscure the seriousness of the issue?
The CCC website only includes the above article which states that the amended wording “alleviates”
the Bishops’ concern
The CCC website does not include it in its “action alerts” whereby it would have asked people to take action against it: contact representatives, etc.
If it were ever put on a ballot, the Bishops’ neutral position would suggest
its a nothing-burger – vote anyway you like.
It is really a scandal to the Catholic community and even to the whole populace.
Mokiki,
How is being neutral about murder a good thing?
Mo, I do not oppose lynching blacks, but I don’t support it either.
How do you think I stayed in elected office so long?
Me speaks double speak.
The CCC is NOT supporting the bill. Being neutral is NOT the same thing as supporting. They are not listed as supporters. Check the legislative info for yourself.
Being “neutral ” – is like being “indifferent” regarding what the Bishops ( used to ? )
consider an intrinsic evil
It is like Obama saying “present” when asked to Yea or Nay a bill in Illinois.
It is a withdrawal from the question.
It’s giving passive consent and support while not actively supporting it.
The CCC chose to waste its opinion “vote” by withdrawing from the legal discussion.
It shows that the bill and all its results were reviewed by the Bishops and acknowledged without concern.
By declaring it “neutral”, the CCC is saying -” It doesn’t concern us – We don’t care one way or the other”
Will the Bishops now change the wording of their Voting information booklet and remove “intrinsic evil” ?
Will the excommunications of those cooperating with abortions be lifted?
Many on the left are deeply cynical that the Church’s pro- life stance is anything more than ” political”. This caving -in will be taken as a confirmation of their cynicism and weaken the credibility of the Church in all areas of it teaching and witness. We are seen by cynics as a business that want to keep our customers happy and the money flowing in.
Maybe some bishops should be denied Communion at Mass.
Hypocrisy! The Church has always taught that abortion is a very serious mortal sin, an act of murder! A Catholic woman who procures or assists in an abortion is excommunicated! Since the filthy, irresponsible, immoral 1960s, and Roe vs. Wade in 1973, I have always felt that the Pro Life movement in our Church should first of all,
teach purity, chastity, to the young, with great devotion to the Blessed Mother. Premarital sex– fornication– and cohabitation, is a terribly destructive mortal sin! Yes! Preach the truth! Save souls! And if you sin, you must take responsibility for it, and repent! If you suffer from extreme psychological pain (guilt, fear of Hell, remorse, self-loathing, mourning your dead child, etc.) due to your sins, then you must go to receive help and healing, after the Sacrament of Penance. Jesus truly wants to heal you! Yes! But the Church cannot erase responsibility for serious mortal sin, and the need for Confession and repentance. You have to grow up! No lies! No “babying!” This is the real world! Get with it, Church! Western culture has been destroyed, because the Church is not doing her job!
Before the filthy, violent 1960s/1970s– women and girls were much more respected, and protected from sin, and from sex predators. Kids of all faiths were taught morality, and knew they had to develop self-control, and lead a good and decent life. Sex outside marriage was a serious sin. A boy could always find nice girls to date, seeking a potential wife and mother. And a girl could find many nice boys, who would have gentlemanly good manners on a date, and treat her with respect. She could more easily find a boy who might make a good husband and father. Since the 1960s/1970s, sin has completely choked our country, with the ravages of Satan. Church weddings, both Catholic and Protestant, have been tragically fewer, since that time. Since 1973, there have been over 63 million abortions, and much fewer births– plus, about half of all births have been illegitimate! America now has the highest rate in the world, of kids growing up in a single-parent home– usually, with no father! We must end the filthy, Satanic sex revolution! It is killing our great country!
Corrupt. Didn’t think things could get worse than in Ned Dolesky’s term as CCC Director but they most certainly have.
The Pedophile of the United States is a child abuser and abortion supporter. No bishop in California has the guts to call him out. You expect them to care about a law? They’re all going to drink wine or beer tonight and dine on fine steak. They’re living it up on the backs of the faithful.
I think the conference is neutral on the bill because the public would just not stand for putting a woman in jail or have her investigated on suspicion of having an abortion. This bill, regardless of what we think of it, makes it politically easier to put abortion restrictions in California, because they could only target providers.
Father Higgins, thanks for making the trek to Sacramento.
Jesus is multiplying your efforts.
If you (and we) don’t see results on this side’
you will see it on the other.
“The California Catholic Conference is grateful to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and to Assemblymember Wicks and her staff for working with us to clarify and narrow the bill language. The CCC will be removing its opposition to AB 2223 and will remain neutral on the bill….” I cannot believe this travesty. Am I missing something? How does neutrality on abortion work? Buffy Wicks must be turning somersaults exclaiming, “the Catholic Church has folded, surrendered, caved to the dark side!” Pelosi? She and Domingo can march up to Cordileone and stuff AB 2223 down his throat in triumph. A very dark day for the CCC.
Regarding California’s new red flag law… if I know someone who has dementia and has nuclear weapons, should I report him under the red flag law. I know someone named Brandon whom I’m very concerned about.
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB2223
AB-2223 Reproductive health.
SEC. 7. Section 123467 is added to the Health and Safety Code, to read:
123467. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability or penalty, or otherwise deprived of their rights under this article, based on their actions or omissions with respect to their pregnancy or actual, potential, or alleged pregnancy outcome, including miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion, or perinatal death due to causes that occurred in utero.
No limit on duration of pregnancy
9 mo old baby in uterus can be terminated = infanticide
“Perinatal” period lasts up to 1 month post birth
Would the born alive newborn receive care?
The Bishops couldn’t at least fight for viability (7 months) (28 weeks) ?
“perinatal death due to a pregnancy-related cause.” was amended to
“perinatal death due to causes that occurred in utero.”
“alleviating the concern” of the California Catholic Conference of Bishops
Wow! That was great crusading by the California Bishops
…
…………………………………
Their California Excellencies may have more pressing worries to contend with the State of California than abortion and infanticide
In April 2022, Nine California Catholic dioceses and archdioceses (including Oakland)
filed a petition to review a lower court’s decision,
that concerns recent California legislation that
– allows claimants to come forward after the timeframe to do so has expired twice.
– involves additional penalties
– defines “cover up” activity
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/251111/california-catholic-dioceses-ask-supreme-court-to-hear-statute-of-limitations-extension-case
The California Catholic bishops are neutral about abortion? They have no moral credibility. I could respect their honesty if they were opposed on paper but admitted that lobbying efforts to stop the bill would be futile so they would take no course of action to lobby any lawmakers. But to be neutral about the bill is inexcusable and shows cowardice or worse.
I urge you to contact your bishop about this. And, pray for our bishops and for life even more fervently.
I’m not a fan of wasting my time.
my time, While your thoughts and feelings might be understandable, a couple of things to consider:
All of our time is given us by the Lord, to use as He desires.
And, by baptism, you share in the prophetic ministry of Christ. Here is what the Lord ways in the Book of Ezekiel:
Chap.33 The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Son of man, speak to your people and say to them: ‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, 3 and he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the trumpet to warn the people, 4 then if anyone hears the trumpet but does not heed the warning and the sword comes and takes their life, their blood will be on their own head. 5 Since they heard the sound of the trumpet but did not heed the warning, their blood will be on their own head. If they had heeded the warning, they would have saved themselves. 6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’
7 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 8 When I say to the wicked, ‘You wicked person, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade them from their ways, that wicked person will die for[a] their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 9 But if you do warn the wicked person to turn from their ways and they do not do so, they will die for their sin, though you yourself will be saved.”
Let’s at least save ourselves as we try, by God’s grace, to reach others.
My thought.
“Let’s at least save ourselves as we try, by God’s grace, to reach others.’ Sorry Deacon these are unreachable and disciples of dark powers, they care little for Christ or His Church. It is time for wrath and justice.. mercy is near its end.
Remember, Saul hated Christ and His Church, and eventually became Saint Paul. No human person here on earth is beyond the reach of God (provided they turn to Him. And, none of us know who will or will not do so.). And, my point is about what the Lord commands us to do, not the response of others. He tells us to warn others, whether they listen or not is on them. It’s on us to do the warning,
… as always, Deacon Anderson, your words are wise.
So the bishops are neutral about California becoming an abortion sanctuary state? As long as they get their perks, I guess they are content to manage the decline of the church instead of preaching the faith.
“Let your ‘Yes’ mean ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ mean ‘No.’ Anything more is from the Evil One.”
“But because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I am going to spit you out of my mouth!”
Kathleen &C C Bishops: There is no neutral stand when it come to “Thou shall not kill” SHAME on you. Many lives will be lost, many lives of women & families destroyed. You have chosen to serve the evil one and separated yourself from the one true God whose gift of life you think you can choose.
Outrageous. This is directly contrary to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states as follows:
2271 Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion.
This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable.
Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law:
You shall not kill the embryo by abortion and shall not cause the newborn to perish.
God, the Lord of life, has entrusted to men the noble mission of safeguarding life, and men must carry it out in a manner worthy of themselves.
Life must be protected with the utmost care from the moment of conception: abortion and infanticide are abominable crimes.
Barely two weeks before the California Catholic bishops said that this amendment deserved “vigorous opposition”( June 30 piece by Kevin Jones,Angelus News). I hope summer vacation schedules did not take priority over anti-infanticide vigilance. Which bishop is the liaison to the CCC on pro- life issues? Does Ms Domingo keep in touch with the bishops when I hope at least one bishop is urgently looking into this and acting
But then they got the language they wanted. See how that works? When you get what you want, you stop opposing.
What ever happened to all the Knights of Columbus and others who were called to write letters in opposition to this piece of trash Sounds like the decision makers could care less about what their constituents think or want. This director should be fired today. Our tax and donation dollars at work.
Read the bill. What the article says is not true.
What’s not true?
The second paragraph.
Could you be more specific? This is what I see:
“Assembly Bill 2223 would allow anyone to commit abortions, by any means, through all nine months of pregnancy.”:
123467. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a person shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability or penalty, or otherwise deprived of their rights under this article, based on their actions or omissions with respect to their pregnancy or actual, potential, or alleged pregnancy outcome, including miscarriage, stillbirth, or abortion, or perinatal death due to causes that occurred in utero.
(b) A person who aids or assists a pregnant person in exercising their rights under this article shall not be subject to civil or criminal liability or penalty…
“And even if a baby is born alive, the bill would penalize state authorities who investigate infant deaths, effectively legalizing infanticide.”:
A party aggrieved by conduct or regulation in violation of this article whose reproductive rights are protected by this article and whose reproductive rights are interfered with by conduct or by a statute, ordinance, or other state or local rule, regulation, or enactment in violation of this article may bring a civil action against an offending state actor in a state superior court….
(2) A civil penalty of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000), to be awarded to the person denied the right protected by this article….
(d) (1) A party whose reproductive rights are protected by this article and whose reproductive rights are interfered with by conduct or by a statute, ordinance, or other state or local rule, regulation, or enactment in violation of this article may bring a civil action against an offending state actor in a state superior court…For purpose of establishing liability pursuant to this subdivision, the criminal investigation, arrest, or prosecution, or threat of investigation, arrest, or prosecution, of a person with respect to their pregnancy or actual, potential, or alleged pregnancy outcome, constitutes “threat, intimidation, or coercion” pursuant to Section 52.1 of the Civil Code.
From the legislative analysis, since the the actual text of the bill concerning coroners is so long:
This bill would delete the requirement that a coroner hold inquests for deaths related to or following known or suspected self-induced or criminal abortion, and would delete the requirement that an unattended fetal death be handled as a death without medical attendance. The bill would prohibit using the coroner’s statements on the certificate of fetal death to establish, bring, or support a criminal prosecution or civil cause of damages against a person who is immune from liability based on their actions or omissions with respect to their pregnancy or actual, potential, or alleged pregnancy outcome, or who aids a pregnant person in exercising their rights under the Reproductive Privacy Act, as specified.
The bill’s author, Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, credits the Conference with helping her craft the language of the bill surrounding “perinatal death.”:
“We actually worked very closely with the Catholic Conference on this, worked closely with them, and they came off opposition because we clarified the intent…” – Assemblywoman Buffy Wicks, June 30, 2022
I was so dissapointed to receive this news! Well we need to follow the truth and fight this henious bill to the best of our ability.I feel very betrayed by our bishops.
Guess what? Rep. Nancy Pelosi has scheduled a vote for tomorrow, Tues. July 19, to codify Gay “Marriage” into law for America. She should have been excommunicated years ago. The post-Conciliar Church has had its head in the sand, all these years– frightened to death of Modernism killing it– so, Modernism is killing it from the inside, anyway. Cowards of Christ. Suicide for a Church, and for many nations, worldwide! Especially, nations that are very intertwined with Catholic culture. America isn’t one of them, but Protestants and Catholics depended upon each other, to develop and maintain a Christian nation– and the Catholic Church is large, and used to be powerful. No more. Shame on Nancy Pelosi.
Tomorrow, July 19, Rep. Nancy Pelosi has called for a vote to codify Gay Marriage. What will the USCCB do, if all American clergy are forced by law, to perform Gay Marriages? Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Pres. Joe Biden have already called for a vote to codify the murder of unborn children, abortion. The Catholic Church must do something, to help end our country’s extreme disgrace and sin, before Almighty God. An extremely sinful nation suffers greatly, and cannot receive the blessing, protection, and favor of Almighty God.
There are many Catholic, evangelical, and other types of religious doctors, nurses, and pharmacists, who refuse to perform or assist with abortions, or dispense and fill prescriptions for abortion drugs, for patients. Pres. Biden and Gov. Newsom had better protect their religious rights!
Well, guess what? Biden and his HHS predictably ordered all pharmacies to dispense baby- killing abortion pills– or else face stern consequences, and lose federal funding, if they receive it. No religious rights for doctors and pharmacists.
In regard to Biden’s HHS order, for pharmacists to fill all abortion pill prescriptions– is that order not legal in states where abortion is totally banned, like Texas? And does the order apply only to pharmacies that receive any federal funding– like state and federal healthcare programs, under Obamacare?
How can Biden not be excommunicated or denied Communion for that action?
Jesus says yes means yes, no means no, there’s no in between.