• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe
A view of the Virginia State Capitol building in Richmond, Virginia, January 17, 2021. Virginia's Catholic bishops decried a move by a Virginia House of Delegates' committee Nov. 13, 2024, to advance proposed constitutional amendments to add a right to abortion in the state's constitution and repeal a constitutional provision that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. (OSV News photo/Leah Millis, Reuters)

Bishops decry move to add ‘right’ to abortion, same-sex marriage to Virginia constitution

November 15, 2024
By OSV News
OSV News
Filed Under: Bishops, News, Respect Life, World News

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

RICHMOND, Va. (OSV News) — Virginia’s Catholic bishops decried a move by a Virginia House of Delegates’ committee Nov. 13 to advance proposed constitutional amendments that would add a right to abortion in the state’s constitution and repeal a constitutional provision that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

The move by the 22-member Privileges and Elections Committee, which included a third measure to restore the voting rights of people with felony convictions, is preliminary. Even if the amendments are ultimately passed, that process could take years. The measures were tabled last January.

“Adding a ‘right’ to abortion in Virginia’s constitution would enshrine a fundamental tragedy, not a fundamental right,” said Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington and Bishop Barry C. Knestout of Richmond in a Nov. 13 statement released by the Virginia Catholic Conference. “Alarmingly, this proposed policy appears to allow virtually unlimited abortion at any stage of pregnancy.”

The bishops expressed concern that “this measure could quite possibly endanger Virginia’s parental consent law and its prohibition against partial-birth abortion, and may very well foreclose the possibility of any future measure to protect babies from abortion.”

Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Va., delivers the homily during the opening Mass of the National Prayer Vigil for Life Jan. 19, 2023, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. (OSV News photo/Bob Roller)

The proposed amendment would guarantee abortion access for Virginians through the first two trimesters. Democrats who back the proposal say it would allow the state to prohibit abortions in the third trimester, but opponents say the amendment doesn’t include language that would allow the state to prohibit abortions “if there’s a state interest in protecting the life of the unborn,” reported 8 News, a Virginia ABC News affiliate.

The bishops were responding to action taken by the Privileges and Elections Committee that would send the measures to the House floor at the beginning of the 2025 legislative session, the first step of a complicated process to amend Virginia’s constitution.

Before Virginians can vote on a referendum about their states’ constitution, the General Assembly must approve the proposed amendments twice in at least two years, according to The Associated Press. The constitutional amendments put forth by lawmakers would not require the governor’s signature if they were approved by voters, which could allow the Democratic-led House and Senate to bypass Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who has vetoed bills related to abortion in the past. However, the multiyear process could also see a change in the Democrats’ legislative majorities, affecting the proposed amendments’ chances of success.

“Constitutional amendments are typically handled during the regular course of business in odd-numbered years, since they must pass in back-to-back sessions separated by a House of Delegates election,” House Minority Leader Todd Gilbert, a Republican, said in a statement objecting to the House committee proposing the measures at a meeting held outside the regular legislative session.

Virginia’s next election is November 2025, so the earliest the three amendments advanced by committee could be put on the ballot is November 2026 — if the measures pass in the state’s 2025 and 2026 legislative sessions.

During this November’s general election, 10 states had ballot referenda considering abortion either directly or indirectly. Three states — Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota — rejected codifying protections for abortion in their constitutions, while voters in Arizona, Colorado, Montana and Missouri approved such constitutional protection for abortion. In Nevada, voters took the first step to abortion being enshrined in their constitution with a “yes” vote on a ballot; the measure would need to pass again in 2026 to be fully approved. Measures that included abortion protections passed in Maryland and New York.

In addition to calling the proposed Virginia amendment on abortion “extreme” and urging lawmakers to propose “policies that affirm the life and dignity of every mother and every child,” the Virginia bishops opposed the proposal to remove a constitutional provision protecting traditional marriage approved by voters in 2006.

The state’s definition of marriage as between one man and one woman was rendered defunct by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges legalizing same-sex unions nationwide.

“We affirm the dignity of every person, and we affirm too that marriage is exclusively the union of one man and one woman,” the bishops said. “Marriage was created by God with an original design and purpose that each of us is called to preserve and that predates any nation, religion or law.”

However, the bishops supported the third proposed amendment, which would make the restoration of voting rights for people who served time for felony crimes automatic.

“This is currently the policy in the vast majority of states,” said the bishops. “Moreover, it reflects the teaching of faithful citizenship that each person should participate fully in the political process.”

The bishops closed their statement calling the faithful to remain vigilant.

“Though the election season has ended, our deep engagement in decisions that go to the heart of who we are and what we value must continue with determination and zeal,” they wrote.

Read More Respect Life

Planned Parenthood

Judge blocks, for now, Planned Parenthood defunding provision backed by bishops

Report: US abortions continue post-Dobbs rise in part due to telehealth

In retrial, judge acquits man charged in assault on pro-life protester

Supreme Court rules states can deny Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood

British Parliament ‘effectively decriminalizes’ abortion up to birth

Supreme Court takes up appeal from N.J. faith-based pregnancy centers

Copyright © 2024 OSV News

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

OSV News

Click here to view all posts from this author

For the latest news delivered twice a week via email or text message, sign up to receive our free enewsletter.

| MOST POPULAR |

  • 3 North Americans named to Vatican dicasteries for ecumenism, interreligious dialogue

  • Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

  • St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

  • superman Movie Review: Superman

  • DUAL ENROLLMENT Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

| Latest Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Latest World News |

Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit

Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war

care of creation

Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass

sorry baby

Movie Review: Sorry, Baby

ICE

ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Expert discusses serious harms of smartphones for children and how to limit their use
  • Movie Review: Superman
  • Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit
  • Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war
  • Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass
  • Movie Review: Sorry, Baby
  • ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release
  • Come away and rest awhile
  • French woman hopes sharing mystical encounter with Minnesota Benedictine helps sainthood cause

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en