THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA Abortion and Religion: The

352 Pages·2011·1.3 MB·English

by  John Adams

THE CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY OF AMERICA

Abortion and Religion: The Politics of the American Catholic Bishops

A DISSERTATION

Submitted to the Faculty of the

Department of Politics

School of Arts and Sciences

Of The Catholic University of America

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

For the Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

©

Copyright

All Rights Reserved

By

Margaret Sammon Parsons

Washington, D.C.

2011
Abortion and Religion: The Politics of the American Catholic Bishops

Margaret Sammon Parsons, Ph.D.

Director: Stephen Schneck, Ph.D.

Prior to the 1960s, the American Catholic bishops avoided political involvement
unless it directly impacted the Church. Initially, the bishops’ main priority for their flock
was protection from anti-Catholic discrimination and assuring the nation that Catholics
were loyal and patriotic Americans. After Roe v. Wade, the bishops engaged in politics
more directly by denouncing the Court’s decision, thus laying the foundation for decades
of debate over the issue of abortion. By 1976, candidates had recognized the importance of
the Catholic vote and both parties began courting the bishops. Since then, the bishops have
amassed significant political leverage, primarily due to their near-singular focus on
abortion.
This dissertation will be the first to examine how the bishops’ decision to focus
primarily on abortion has been the wellspring of their increased political power. I will
discuss the history of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and its political
involvement through 2008. This includes an examination of the relationship between the
Catholic Church and both the Democratic and Republican parties, including a discussion of
the presidential elections from 1976-2008. I will also analyze the changing attitudes toward
abortion among key subgroups of the American electorate.
My research shows that abortion has been the critical element of the bishops’
political power for several reasons: (1) abortion attracts a significant amount of attention;
(2) no American bishop favors legalized abortion; (3) the bishops have not been forced to
endorse one party over the other; and (4) the tactics of some bishops (i.e., denying
communion) have allowed the Church to guide parishioners toward preferred candidates
without explicit endorsements.
While abortion has not always been a major issue for voters, it has been critical in
the expansion of the bishops’ political power. As leaders of a major swing-voter group,
candidates recognize the bishops’ influence and actively court their endorsement. Even
without abortion as a major issue in an election, a pro-choice candidate still faces major
hurdles in winning the bishops’ approval. As was evident in the 2004 election, without
agreement on abortion, no amount of agreement on other social issues will earn a candidate
episcopal approval.
This dissertation by Margaret Sammon Parsons fulfills the dissertation requirement for the
doctoral degree in American Politics approved by Stephen Schneck, Ph'D., as Director, and by
John A. Kromkowski, Ph.D., and Mark J. Rozell' Ph'D' as Readers'
Stephen Schneck, Ph.D., Director
John A. Kromkowski, Ph.D., l't Reader
To my grandparents, Mille Damiani Ross and the late Charles G. Ross, Sr.
iii
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Chapter 1. The History of the USCCB 36
Chapter 2. The USCCB From 1973-2004 101
Chapter 3. The Democratic Party and the Catholic Church 167
Chapter 4. The Republican Party and the Catholic Church 243
Chapter 5. Conclusion 308
Bibliography 332
iv
List of Tables
Table 1-1 Growth of Catholic Population 47
Table 1-2 Church Commitment 95
Table 1-3 Regional Catholic Population in the US 96
Table 1-4 US Catholic Population 97
Table 1-5 Income of Catholics (Percentage) 97
Table 1-6 Marriage Status of Catholics 97
Table 1-7 Catholics and Political Identity 98
Table 1-8 Catholics and Abortion 98
Table 2-1 Public Opinion on Abortion 108
Table 2-2 Webster Decision 126
Table 2-3 Number of Abortions Performed per 1,000 Women Ages 15-44 132
Table 2-4 Views on Abortion 132
Table 2-5 Pro-Life or Pro-Choice 133
Table 3-1 Partisan Affiliation of Major Religious Groups 210
Table 3-2 Church Attendance and 2004 Presidential Vote 211
v
Acknowledgements
Writing this dissertation has been one of the most grueling yet rewarding tasks that
I have ever undertaken and I would never have crossed the finish line without the support
of many people. I would like to thank my parents for their support and the sacrifices they
have made for my education. I would also like to thank my grandparents for all of the help
they have given me over the years, especially during this process. I also owe my brother
and sister many thanks for their encouragement. Many thanks to my husband for hours
spent proofreading, offering suggestions, and supporting me when the light at the end of
the tunnel seemed little more than a dim flicker. Finally, I would like to thank the members
of my committee for reading numerous drafts and for offering invaluable guidance. This
dissertation was immensely enhanced by their contributions, patience, and kindness.
vi
Introduction
When the Supreme Court legalized abortion in 1973, the American Catholic
bishops released a statement that was uncharacteristic of the organization. The Committee
for Pro-Life Affairs of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops stated:
Although as a result of the Court decision abortion may be legally permissible, it is
still morally wrong, and no Court opinion can change the law of God prohibiting
the taking of innocent human life. Therefore, as religious leaders, we cannot accept
the Court’s judgment and we urge people not to follow its reasoning or
conclusions.1

This simple statement set the stage for decades of political debate within the Church over
the issue of abortion. What is most striking is that for many years, the American Catholic
bishops refrained from systematic and direct political involvement unless the issue at hand
directly affected the Church, such as aid to Catholic schools. Moreover, the bishops had a
history of supporting the U.S. government in all of its endeavors. Yet in the face of
legalized abortion and abetted by changes in the political landscape and in the social and
economic status of American Catholics, the political role of the bishops changed. Among
the issues for which the bishops came to advocate after 1973, opposition to abortion was
preeminent. The question that this dissertation seeks to answer is whether the current
political leverage that the bishops possess is a result of their decision to focus primarily on
abortion.
This dissertation will show how the decision to focus on abortion as the Church’s
primary social justice cause was a critical step in attaining increased political leverage for

1. This statement of the Committee for Pro-Life Affairs National Conference of Catholic Bishops is
reproduced in Documentation on the Right to Life and Abortion (Washington, DC: United States Catholic
Conference, 1974), 59.

1
2

the American Catholic bishops. Significant study has been done of the bishops’ role in the
pro-life movement and their political involvement generally. Yet little research has
examined the decision to focus on abortion as the key element in the bishops’ significant
gains in political power. This dissertation will discuss the history of the United States
Conference of Catholic Bishops and its political involvement through 2008. It will also
discuss the relationship between the Church and both the Democratic and Republican
Parties, including a discussion of the presidential elections from 1976-2008. This
dissertation will analyze the changing attitudes toward abortion among key subgroups of
the American electorate. It will reveal emerging political differences between those who
attend church regularly and non-churchgoers, as well as the political differences among
those at various income levels. The first chapter of this dissertation will discuss the history
of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops and examine its early political
involvement through 1973. It will also provide an examination of the situation of early
American Catholics.
The fact that the bishops would choose to focus the majority of their energy on
abortion is not surprising. The Church’s social and moral teachings have consistently
advocated for those individuals who are unable to help themselves. While the Church had
traditionally linked itself to more “Democratic” causes such as poverty and war, it has
always demonstrated underlying support for the sanctity of life. During the 1960s and
1970s, the American Catholic bishops became concerned with the increasing moral