Catholics for Choice Displays 50-foot quilt in front of the Vatican to bring the stories of pro-choice Catholics to life at the Synod on Synodality
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, October 3, 2024
Contact: Ashley Wilson, Catholics for Choice
Phone/WhatsApp: 1+ (202) 294-4018
Email: awilson@catholicsforchoice.org
Catholics for Choice Displays 50-foot quilt in front of the Vatican to bring the stories of pro-choice Catholics to life at the Synod on Synodality
ROME — Today, Catholics for Choice — a 50-year-old organization that represents the faithful majority of Catholics — brought the topic of abortion and the stories of faithful Catholics who’ve had abortions to the doorstep of Pope Francis’s Synod on Synodality.
This morning, a group of Catholics for Choice staff and supporters unfurled a massive, 50-foot long quilt of abortion stories and other testimonies from pro-choice Catholics. The stories were mostly from the United States, where 1 in 4 abortion patients identifies as Catholic, and 9 in 10 Catholics disagree with the church hierarchy’s stance on abortion rights. The group is also delivering a bound book of stories to the Synod office, and will even use the Vatican mail service to ensure Pope Francis and his mail team will review the stories.
Read the Book: Pope Francis, Listen
The group also submitted a formal report to the Synod on Synodality and met with Vatican ambassadors from several countries to share these stories and discuss the global impacts of the church’s stance on abortion and reproductive rights.
The four Catholics for Choice staff leading the action issued the following statements:
“The Synod on Synodality is a groundbreaking opportunity to reshape the life and future of the church, especially regarding the inclusion of women and LGBTQ+ people. But there is a real disconnect: Catholics have reflected on their lived experiences of pregnancy and abortion — issues that our hierarchy cannot understand because they are celibate and have no wives or daughters — and determined that church teaching is at odds with their beliefs. I take Pope Francis at his word that he wants a church of encounter, and he has embraced that philosophy everywhere, except on this one big thing. Pro-choice Catholics need to be able to tell their stories freely and honestly if the church is going to grow in our moral understanding of these issues and truly answer the call to encounter.” — Ashley Wilson, Senior Advisor
“I’m honored to be representing faithful Catholics from the United States and around the world who have abortion stories. Last year, Catholics for Choice displayed a banner that faithful Catholics have abortions. This year, many Catholics have answered our call and shared their powerful, heartbreaking, and faithful testimonies with us. We wove these stories together into a quilt as a reminder that pro-choice Catholics are not alone. This week, we are also meeting with Vatican Ambassadors, delivering a bound book of abortion stories to Pope Francis via official Vatican mail, and more to ensure these stories get the attention they deserve.” — Manuela Tironi, Global Advocacy Manager
“As Catholics, we are taught that healthcare is a human right and that all people should be able to access health services regardless of income or where they live. I’m a Catholic doula who supports people through their abortions, and I see firsthand how carefully Catholics evaluate their conscience when making reproductive healthcare decisions. Pope Francis has called people who have abortions murderers and accused them of hiring a hitman, which is far from a compassionate, encounter-based response. The synod has an opportunity to truly center the marginalized on this issue — I hope the delegates will hear these stories with an open heart.” — Emily Harrison, Digital Director
“Catholicism is the only religion with a permanent observer status at the U.N., which means the Vatican has diplomatic relations with nearly every other country in the world. The Vatican has single-handedly shut down international conversations supporting sex education, gender equality, and abortion access at the United Nations. People often forget that not only is our church hierarchy going against the very interests of the people they serve, but they are also subverting the religious freedom of other groups that have very different teaching on protecting the lives of mothers, when life begins, and more. The Vatican’s refusal to listen to the lived experiences of people who have had abortions has a very real impact on the right to healthcare for all people worldwide. I pray they will listen to these stories.” — Elyce Nollette-Alston, Global Advocacy and Consulting Director
Catholics for Choice staff will be in Rome until October 5 and are available for additional comment before and after we depart.
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Catholics for Choice shapes and advances sexual and reproductive ethics that are based on justice, reflect a commitment to a person’s well-being and respect, and affirm the capacity of all people to make moral decisions about their lives.
