U.S. Catholic bishops launch a nationwide prayer and action campaign, citing rising abortions and concerns over expanded access to abortion pills.
Newsroom (29/07/2026 Gaudium Press ) The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has issued a nationwide call to prayer and action in response to what church leaders describe as a rising abortion rate and the growing availability of abortion-inducing drugs across the United States.
In a joint announcement released July 27, Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the USCCB, and Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, urged Catholics to take part in a focused campaign aimed at opposing the spread of abortion pills.
The bishops framed the issue as both a moral and public health concern.
“Every abortion involves the death of a child and harm to the mother. Now with easier access to abortion pills, the abortion rate is tragically climbing, along with increased health risks,” Archbishop Coakley and Bishop Thomas said in their statement.
At the center of the bishops’ concerns is mifepristone, a drug commonly referred to as the abortion pill. A federal policy first implemented during the Biden administration allows the medication to be distributed by mail. That policy has remained in effect under the second Trump administration.
Federal efforts to challenge or revisit the policy remain unresolved. According to the bishops, the Department of Justice under the current administration has sought to block state-led legal challenges while awaiting a promised safety review from the Food and Drug Administration. However, the status of that review and any timeline for its completion remain unclear.
The bishops sharply criticized the FDA’s regulatory approach, arguing that recent policies have facilitated what they described as a nationwide mail-order abortion industry.
In their statement, Archbishop Coakley and Bishop Thomas said the FDA “has enabled a nationwide mail-order abortion industry by allowing abortion pills to be prescribed in telehealth appointments and sold both at neighborhood pharmacies and online, circumventing state laws that protect life in the womb.”
They also expressed concern about the impact of remote access to abortion drugs on women’s health and safety. According to the bishops, increased availability through telehealth consultations and mail delivery can leave women without direct medical oversight during the abortion process.
“This leaves women vulnerable to suffering an abortion alone at home, without any medical supervision,” they said.
The bishops further warned that expanded access could create circumstances that increase the risk of coercion and abuse. They argued that abortion pills obtained outside traditional clinical settings may provide additional opportunities for exploitation by violent partners or human traffickers.
The church’s response will focus on a coordinated nationwide effort running through the end of October, when Catholics in the United States observe Respect Life Month. The USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities is encouraging Catholics to participate in prayer initiatives and practical advocacy efforts during this period.
Church leaders specifically called on the faithful to seek the intercession of St. Joseph, whom they referred to as “Defender of Life,” while also encouraging supporters to communicate directly with pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies involved in the distribution and sale of abortion pills.
The campaign represents the latest effort by the nation’s Catholic bishops to mobilize grassroots engagement on abortion-related issues, particularly as access to medication abortion continues to be a major focus of legal, political, and regulatory debate in the United States. Through prayer, public advocacy, and outreach to businesses involved in abortion pill distribution, the bishops hope to build opposition to policies they believe contribute to the increasing availability of abortion-inducing drugs nationwide.
As Respect Life Month approaches, Catholic leaders are positioning the initiative as both a spiritual and civic response to ongoing developments surrounding medication abortion, calling on Catholics across the country to participate in what they describe as a focused effort to defend unborn life and support women facing difficult pregnancies.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from OSV News
