The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops (TCCB) has written to parishioners asking them not to support the work of a large pro-life group.
In a parish advisory sent by TCCB last week, the bishops, who set policy for the parishes serving Texas's 7.4 million Catholics, said Texas Right to Life “opposes the Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops and has implied that the bishops do not faithfully represent Church teaching”.
It stated three main ways Texas Right to Life, which describes itself as the “oldest and largest” statewide pro-life organisation, conflicts with the Conference: by implying that they “do not faithfully represent Church teaching” on pro-life issues; by “misstatements on end-of-life care and advance directives”; and by publishing a scorecard of pro-life Texas legislators that “is not based on a fair analysis”.
The statement encouraged Catholics to continue to campaign for pro-life issues by supporting groups that engage in “respectful legislative advocacy”. It listed five organisations endorsed by the Conference, including the Gabriel Project and 40 Days for Life.
The Tablet has contacted Texas Right to Life for a comment.
PICTURE: Pro-choice and pro-life demonstrators rally outside the US Supreme Court, 20 June 2016. (Image/Bill Clarke/CQ Roll Call).