With the November elections approaching, Catholic bishops across four states are urging the faithful to defend the sanctity of human life as voters prepare to decide ballot measures that could significantly change abortion laws.
On November 3, voters in Nevada, Virginia, and Idaho will consider proposals that would establish or expand legal protections for abortion. Missouri voters, meanwhile, will decide whether to reverse a constitutional amendment approved in 2024 that established abortion rights in the state.
According to EWTN News, Catholic leaders in all four states have launched extensive efforts to educate parishioners, encourage voter participation, and call Catholics to prayer and fasting ahead of the elections.
Although the Catholic Church does not endorse political candidates, bishops may speak publicly about ballot measures involving moral issues, including the protection of unborn children.
For Church leaders, the approaching votes represent an important opportunity to bring Catholic teaching on the dignity of human life into the public conversation.
Nevada Faces a Decisive Second Vote on Abortion Rights
In Nevada, voters will decide whether to permanently establish a fundamental right to abortion in the state constitution.
The proposed amendment received approximately 64% support during the 2024 election. Under Nevada law, constitutional amendments proposed through the initiative process must receive voter approval in two consecutive elections. A second victory in November would complete that process.
Las Vegas Archbishop George Leo Thomas and Reno Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg have been working together to oppose the proposal.
According to EWTN News, the bishops have coordinated educational materials, pastoral messages, and public outreach to explain their concerns about the amendment.
Archbishop Thomas has been particularly outspoken about the potential consequences for unborn children.
“Unborn children have no voice and cannot defend themselves,” he wrote in a pastoral letter distributed to Catholics throughout his archdiocese.
“As Catholics, our faith requires us to protect the inherent dignity of every human life and to speak for those who cannot speak for themselves.”
The archbishop has also expressed concern that the amendment could permit abortions much later in pregnancy than existing Nevada law allows.
Although the proposal permits restrictions after fetal viability, it includes exceptions related to the mother’s life or health. Thomas argues that the language could potentially allow abortion through the ninth month of pregnancy, although courts have not ruled on that interpretation.
He has also questioned how the amendment’s protections for “all individuals” could affect existing parental notification requirements for minors.
Nevada currently prohibits abortions after 26 weeks from the woman’s last menstrual period.
Virginia Bishops Urge Catholics to Vote and Fast
In Virginia, Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington and Bishop Barry Knestout of Richmond have taken a coordinated approach to opposing a proposed constitutional amendment establishing a fundamental right to reproductive freedom, including abortion.
The bishops have urged Catholics to understand the proposed changes and recognize the moral responsibilities involved in voting.
In a joint letter reported by EWTN News, they reminded the faithful of their “sacred duty to form our consciences prayerfully and correctly, and to vote NO” on the abortion amendment and a separate proposal concerning same-sex marriage.
Their message has been shared in parishes throughout Virginia.
Bishop Burbidge has also encouraged Catholics to dedicate time to prayer and fasting throughout October.
The Diocese of Arlington has organized a Catholics Vote No campaign, while parishes have received informational materials, prayer cards, and voter registration resources.
Some communities are also helping eligible voters who may have difficulty reaching polling places, including college students, homebound parishioners, and residents of nursing homes.
Catholic leaders are particularly concerned about language in the proposed abortion amendment that would permit exceptions to third-trimester restrictions when a physician determines an abortion is necessary to protect the mother’s life or physical or mental health.
They have also raised questions about whether the amendment’s application to every individual could affect parental consent protections for minors.
These concerns reflect the bishops’ interpretation of the proposal, and the courts have not established the full legal implications of its language.
Idaho Catholics Mobilize Against Proposed Abortion Expansion
Idaho’s upcoming vote presents a different legal question.
Rather than changing the state constitution, the proposed initiative would establish statutory protections for reproductive freedom, including abortion, replacing the state’s existing restrictions on most abortions.
Bishop Peter Christensen of Boise, whose diocese encompasses the entire state, has made opposition to the measure a major priority.
According to EWTN News, the diocese has provided priests with materials to help explain Catholic teaching on human life and the potential consequences of the initiative.
Parishes have also received prayer cards, suggested prayer intentions, and a pastoral letter from the bishop.
“By coming together as a family in prayer, raising awareness, and taking meaningful action, we can make a powerful difference in responding to this anti-life, anti-family initiative by advocating for the protection of the most vulnerable members of our society,” Bishop Christensen wrote.
The proposal would generally permit abortion before fetal viability while allowing certain restrictions afterward, subject to exceptions for medical emergencies.
Diocesan officials have expressed concern about how viability would be determined and whether the proposal could weaken parental consent requirements.
Christian Welp, director of diocesan projects, emphasized the urgency of the upcoming vote.
“This is the most important issue for all of us until November,” he told EWTN News.
For Idaho’s Catholic leadership, the weeks before Election Day have become an opportunity to encourage both spiritual preparation and informed civic participation.
Missouri Seeks to Reverse Its 2024 Abortion Amendment
While three states are considering measures to establish or expand abortion protections, Missouri voters will decide whether to reverse an abortion-rights amendment approved just two years earlier.
In 2024, approximately 51.6% of Missouri voters supported adding abortion protections to the state constitution.
The new proposal would repeal those constitutional protections and restore greater authority to state lawmakers to regulate abortion.
According to EWTN News, the amendment itself would not impose a complete abortion ban or establish a specific gestational limit. Instead, it would permit lawmakers to enact restrictions in most circumstances while preserving certain exceptions involving rape, incest, and medical emergencies.
Missouri’s four Catholic bishops have united in support of the measure.
In a joint statement, they warned that the dignity of the human person is “threatened by the pro-abortion amendment passed in 2024.”
They also encouraged Catholics and people of goodwill to participate in prayer and fasting ahead of the election.
The Missouri Catholic Conference has distributed educational resources to parishes, including informational cards, signs, and materials explaining the proposed amendment.
Catholic representatives have also been speaking at parish gatherings and Knights of Columbus events to help voters understand the issue.
Kathleen Lavery, communications director of the Missouri Catholic Conference, told EWTN News that voter participation could determine the outcome.
“This amendment’s really going to come down to which side can activate its base and get people to the polls,” she said.
Despite the challenges, Lavery expressed hope about the proposal’s chances of passing.
“I’m very cautiously optimistic,” she said. “I think we have a very good chance of winning this.”
A Call to Defend Human Dignity Beyond Election Day
Although the four states face different legal questions, their Catholic bishops are emphasizing a common principle: every human life possesses inherent dignity and deserves protection.
The Church’s opposition to abortion is rooted in its teaching that human life must be respected and protected from conception until natural death.
That conviction has shaped the bishops’ public statements, parish educational efforts, and calls for prayer as the elections draw near.
For Catholics, the responsibility extends beyond casting a ballot. Church leaders are encouraging the faithful to form their consciences according to Catholic teaching, understand the issues before them, and participate responsibly in civic life.
The November 3 votes could have lasting consequences for abortion policy in Nevada, Virginia, Idaho, and Missouri.
As Election Day approaches, the bishops are asking Catholics to unite in prayer, remain informed, and remember those whose lives may be affected by the decisions voters make.
At the heart of their message is a conviction that transcends any single election: the dignity of human life must never be forgotten, particularly when the most vulnerable cannot speak for themselves.
Your support brings the truth to the world.
Catholic Online News exists because of donors like you. We are 100% funded by people who believe the world deserves real, uncensored news rooted in faith and truth — not corporate agendas. Your gift ensures millions can continue to access the news they can trust — stories that defend life, faith, family, and freedom.
When truth is silenced, your support speaks louder.
