Catholic News

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Vatican City, Mar 14, 2025 / 16:10 pm (CNA).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has provided the Vatican with a list of names of Ukrainians detained by the Russian military, requesting diplomatic mediation to secure their release.

"The Holy See has received a list of Ukrainians being held in Russian prisons and camps. We are counting on the support for their release," Zelenskyy said in a message shared on social media.

The Ukrainian president indicated that he had a telephone conversation with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Holy See's secretary of state, in which he also wished Pope Francis, who has been hospitalized for a month in Rome's Gemelli Hospital, "a speedy recovery."

"I thanked him for his prayers and moral support for our people, as well as for his efforts in facilitating the return of Ukrainian children illegally deported and displaced by Russia," Zelenskyy said, expressing his gratitude for the prayers for Ukraine and for peace.

The Holy See's mediation for the release of Ukrainians detained in Russia is nothing new. Ukrainian Redemptorist priests Ivan Levitsky and Bohdan Geleta were detained in Berdyansk by Russian occupation troops in November 2022 and released almost two years later following Vatican mediation.

"The voice of the Holy See is very important on the path to peace. I am grateful for the readiness to make efforts toward our shared goal," the Ukrainian president noted.

Zelenskyy also referred to his government's decision to approve the United States' proposal for a 30-day temporary ceasefire. This compromise was reached two days ago after a meeting lasting more than eight hours between the two countries' delegations in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

"The exchange of prisoners and an unconditional 30-day full interim ceasefire are the first quick steps that could significantly bring us closer to a just and lasting peace. Ukraine is ready to take these steps because the Ukrainian people want peace more than anyone," Zelenskyy said in his post on X.

However, despite the progress in the negotiations, Ukraine launched its largest attack on Russia since the start of the war before the agreement was reached. The Russian Defense Ministry claimed it shot down 337 Ukrainian drones over several regions in that attack.

Zelenskyy commented that "meanwhile, the world sees how Russia is deliberately setting conditions that only complicate and drag out the process, as Russia is the only party that wants the war to continue and diplomacy to break down."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 14, 2025 / 16:40 pm (CNA).

Earlier this week, Cuba completed the release of 553 prisoners despite the collapse of a deal with the United States, Vatican News reported. 

In January, under the Catholic Church's mediation, former U.S. President Joe Biden agreed to remove Cuba from a U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism in exchange for the early release of hundreds of prisoners. 

The deal was made following years of pressure from the U.S., the European Union, the Catholic Church, and human rights organizations urging Cuba to free anti-government protesters jailed after a 2021 demonstration. 

The Biden administration had initially called Cuba to release "political prisoners," but Cuba less specifically agreed to gradually release "553 people sanctioned for diverse crimes." 

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said: "As part of the close and fluid relations with the Vatican State, I informed Pope Francis of [the decision to free the prisoners] in the spirit of the 2025 Jubilee." 

Just days after President Donald Trump's inauguration, the new administration overturned the deal. Despite the administration's reversal, Cuba continued to free prisoners intermittently.

In February, the Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, called the continued release of the Cuban prisoners "a sign of great hope" at the start of the holy year and said he hoped for more "gestures of clemency."

The vice president of Cuba's top court, Maricela Soza Ravelo, announced on state television on March 10 that the full release was completed, according to Vatican News. 

Cuba has not reported how many of the 553 releases were linked to the 2021 protests or disclosed a full list of the freed prisoners.

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Puebla, Mexico, Mar 14, 2025 / 17:10 pm (CNA).

The Catholic Church in Mexico expressed its "profound indignation and grief" following the discovery of an organized crime training and extermination camp on a ranch in Jalisco state where clandestine crematoriums were found.

The site was located on the Izaguirre ranch in the Teuchitlán administrative district, about 40 miles from Guadalajara, the state capital, by the Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco group (Searching Warriors of Jalisco), an organization of families of disappeared persons searching for clandestine graves in the hope of finding the remains of their loved ones.

In Latin America, "disappeared" is often used as an adjective and a verb. "He was disappeared" means the person was abducted and is most likely dead. 

According to the Jalisco state attorney general's office, so far "six lots of bones have been discovered  in four locations on the property" that would correspond to more than 200 victims.

The site was already known to authorities since the National Guard carried out an operation on Sept. 18, 2024, during which 10 people were arrested, according to the attorney general's office.

At the site, they found a tactical training area and a physical conditioning area as well as clothing and gear that would have been worn by both the criminals and their victims.

One of the 'cruelest expressions of evil'

In its March 12 statement, the Mexican Bishops' Conference (CEM, by its Spanish acronym) described the discovery as "one of the cruelest expressions of evil and human wretchedness that we have witnessed in our country."

The Mexican bishops noted that these acts "directly attack the sacred dignity of the human person, created in the image and likeness of God."

The prelates also criticized the official figures provided by Mexican authorities regarding violence. "We express our surprise that first-degree murders are supposedly down 15%, but they are trying to hide the fact that disappearances are up 40%. Unfortunately, the majority of these victims are our young people," the CEM pointed out.

According to the website of Mexico's Ministry of the Interior, whose data covers the period from Dec. 31, 1952, to March 14 of this year, there are 124,179 missing and unaccounted-for persons in the country, with Jalisco being the state with the highest number of cases.

The bishops called on authorities to implement effective policies to prevent "these atrocious crimes and ensure their non-repetition" while demanding that they stop "evading their responsibility or trying to hide this reality" of violence in the country.

A day after the CEM statement, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum referred to the bishops' claim at a March 13 press conference and said their information was erroneous.

"We will keep you informed. But the episcopate does not have the correct information, and we are happy to ask the Ministry of the Interior to contact them to explain that this is not the case," she said.

Remembering the disappeared during Lent

The Mexican bishops also called on Catholics to take advantage of this Lenten season to "pray earnestly for the disappeared, accompany the victims, and contribute to the reconstruction of the social fabric."

They also pledged to "be a voice for those without a voice and to collaborate tirelessly in building a country where justice, truth, and unrestricted respect for human dignity prevail."

In response to the gruesome discovery, several events will be held to pray and express solidarity with the victims and their families:

• Mass for the disappeared: The auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Mexico City, Francisco Javier Acero, will offer a Mass at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Mexico City at 3 p.m. local time on March 15 in honor of the disappeared persons and in support of their families.

• Vigil and national mourning: The same day at 5 p.m. local time the Conference of Major Superiors of Religious of Mexico (CIRM) will hold a vigil on the esplanade of Mexico City's Zócalo (large central square) in front of the cathedral. "With 400 shoes and 400 candles, let us remember those who have been victims of violence and forced disappearance. Let us join in raising our voices and showing our solidarity as a Church and as a society," CIRM said in its appeal to the community.

• Day of prayer and consolation: On March 16 in the town of Teuchitlán in Jalisco state, a pilgrimage and Mass will be held for the victims of violence and their families.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Mar 14, 2025 / 17:40 pm (CNA).

Here are some of the major stories about the Church around the world that you may have missed this week:

3 Christian converts sentenced to over 40 years in prison by Islamic Republic of Iran

Three Christian converts in Iran have been sentenced to over 40 years in prison collectively, Article18, a London-based nonprofit dedicated to protecting and promoting religious freedom in the Islamic country, has reported.

The Iranian Revolutionary Court collectively sentenced Abbas Soori, Mehran Shamloui, and Narges Nasri, a 37-year-old woman who is pregnant with her first child, to more than 40 years in prison for charges described as "propaganda activities contrary to Islamic law." 

Catholic nonprofits speak out against climate credit scheme targeting Indigenous Tanzanian community 

The International Cooperation for Development Solidarity (CIDSE) is speaking out on behalf of the Tanzanian Maasi community after a recently published study found the native community had been coerced into allowing carbon credit projects on their land, threatening their livelihoods. 

The CIDSE told ACI Africa, CNA's news partner in Africa, that the Maasi communities were pressured into signing unfair contracts that forced them out of their traditional grazing lands. The CIDSE condemned the dubious contracts, which it said "undermine Indigenous rights." 

Diocese of Guinea-Bissau celebrates appointment of new bishop

The Catholic community in Guinea-Bissau is celebrating this week after the appointment of Monsignor Victor Luís Quematcha as local ordinary of the Bissau-Guinea Episcopal See on March 8, ACI Africa reported. The appointment comes almost exactly four years after the passing of Bishop Pedro Carlos Zilli in March 2021. 

Holy pilgrimage honors 10th anniversary of Coptic Martyrs in Egypt

Marking the 10th anniversary of the martyrdom of 20 Egyptian Copts and a young Ghanaian in Libya, the Apostolic Vicariate of the Latins in Egypt organized a holy pilgrimage with over 300 people to the Egyptian city of Samalut. 

Coinciding with the Jubilee of Hope, the pilgrimage took place under the patronage and participation of Bishop Claudio Lurati of Alexandria and his vicar, Monsignor Antoine Tawfik, ACI MENA, CNA's Arabic-language news partner, reported. 

Nigerian bishops' conference: Unemployed youth are 'ticking time bomb'

The president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of Nigeria issued a warning this week about increased rates of joblessness among the country's youth as violence and criminal activity continues to surge across Africa's largest nation-state.

Archbishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji called the crisis a "ticking time bomb" for Nigeria's youth and called for federal and state governments to take action to address unemployment among young people or risk "losing the battle against insecurity and violent crime."

Religious freedom win: Pakistani Christian girl free from forced marriage, conversion

Pakistani courts have granted an annulment to Shahidi Bibi, allowing her to return to her father's house and her faith, according to her legal team at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International. Bibi was forced by her mother to marry her stepfather's brother, a Muslim man, when she was just 11 years old. During the marriage, she gave birth to two children and was falsely legally registered as "Muslim" on her identification documents. 

Cases of violence against Christians in India on the rise, report finds

According to a March 10 report from The Evangelical Fellowship of India's Religious Liberty Commission (EFIRLC), 640 incidents of violent attacks against Christians occurred in 2024, an increase of 39 cases compared with 2023, and 147 cases recorded in 2014. 

"Attacks on Christians take various forms, including physical assaults, disruptions of prayer meetings, church vandalism, social boycotts, denial of community resources, and targeted arrests under anti-conversion laws," the report states, adding: "Reports indicate that on average, four to five churches and pastors face attacks daily, with incidents nearly doubling every Sunday."

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CNA Staff, Mar 14, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The contribution of nearly 700 Catholic religious sisters to a "groundbreaking" decades-long study on Alzheimer's and dementia continues to offer important information for maintaining "cognitive health" across the lifespan, researchers say.

Launched in 1986 by neurologist David Snowdon, the "Nun Study" produced "seminal findings" on "cognitive impairment and related neuropathologies," researchers said in a historical review published at Alzheimer's & Dementia journal last month.

Kyra Clarke, a doctorate student at UT Health San Antonio and one of the authors of the February review, said Snowdon opted to use Catholic sisters for the monumental study after he "realized that studying nuns came with many advantages for dementia research." 

"Normally, it's hard to pinpoint what causes some people to develop dementia while others remain healthy because people can have very different lifestyles, environments, and biology — some smoke, some don't; some have better access to health care than others; some may be more genetically disposed to disease," she said.

"But Catholic sisters from the same order share the same environment for most of their adult lives: similar marital histories, housing, nutrition, health care, income, and social networks," she pointed out. 

"It is difficult to find a community of people with such consistent and comparable lifestyles. This makes it easier to figure out what factors truly increase or decrease the risk of dementia."

Snowdon launched the pilot study of the program in 1986 in cooperation with the School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND), with a pool of 678 sisters eventually being drawn out of 1,000 candidates from what were then seven main convents across the country, including in Chicago, Baltimore, Dallas, and elsewhere. 

The age of the sisters at the outset of the study ranged from 75 to 102. All had similar life histories, while the vast majority were at least college graduates, with nearly 90% having been teachers at some point.

Researchers used a variety of methods to gauge progression of cognitive function of the sisters later in their lives, including autobiographies the nuns wrote prior to taking their vows, medical records, academic transcripts, and questionnaires.

The sisters "consented to participate in neuropsychological assessments and permitted researchers access to personal records kept by the convents," researchers said; they were further required to agree to brain donation upon their deaths for the scientists to study. 

Clarke said the sisters exhibited "extraordinary dedication and enthusiasm" for the study, particularly as evidenced by the high numbers of them who agreed to participate. 

"A 66% participation rate is a truly impressive amount for a longitudinal study requiring participants to undertake extensive cognitive testing every year for the rest of their lives and agree to brain donation as well," she noted.

The inclusion of healthy as well as cognitively impaired sisters was a critical factor in the study, the researchers said, as it "allowed for the longitudinal tracking of cognitive changes through annual assessments."

The high brain donation rate likewise "provided the opportunity to compare neuropathology findings from the autopsied brains of impaired individuals with healthy control brains, which had been historically difficult."

The findings of the study have "significantly advanced" understanding of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. One key discovery, Clarke said, was that "higher early-life cognitive ability seems to be protective against dementia."

"Researchers found that sisters with higher educational attainment and academic performance (based on school transcripts stored in convent archival records) had higher scores on cognitive tests in late life and lower risk of dementia," she said. Religious sisters with better written language skills earlier in life were also at a lower risk for dementia. 

"The Nun Study really emphasized that maintaining cognitive health is a lifelong task and emphasized the importance of education and cognitive stimulation in reducing the risk of dementia," Clarke said.

All of the sisters in the study have since passed away. In some cases the research has taken on personal significance: multiple family members of Margaret Flanagan, the director of the ongoing Nun Study at UT Health, attended Chicago's Academy of Our Lady run by SSND sisters. 

Researchers, meanwhile, continue to meet with representatives of the SSND to provide updates on the ongoing data. 

The scientists are "deeply appreciative of their dedication to education and helping the lives of others," Clarke said. 

"Their kindness and generosity made the Nun Study an iconic and groundbreaking contribution to dementia research and continuously inspires us to keep pushing towards understanding and treating this debilitating disease," she said.

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Lima Newsroom, Mar 14, 2025 / 07:00 am (CNA).

The bishop of Cajamarca, Peru, has denounced a "direct attack" on the Catholic Church's freedom of speech by the LGBTQ+ community, which accuses the Church of the "alleged crime of discrimination" for a talk warning of the consequences of "Comprehensive Sexual Education" (CSE) in Peru.

In a statement signed by Bishop Isaac Martínez Chuquizana of Cajamarca, the diocese referred to the complaint filed in December 2024 by Reyna Consuelo Solís Rivera, "who claims to be part of the LGBTQ+ community," with the Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Human Rights and Interculturality of the Public Prosecutor's Office of Cajamarca.

Solís' complaint targets "representatives of the Diocese of Cajamarca and Human Life International," who gave the talk titled "Comprehensive Sexual Education and Its Consequences" on Aug. 26, 2024, at the Cajamarca Book Fair.

The talk was led by Father Javier Hoyos Huamán, head of the Life and Family Committee of the Diocese of Cajamarca, and Roxaida Carolina López de Ojeda from Human Life International, who holds a master's degree in bioethics. The participants warned about the harmful consequences of CSE in Peru and other countries in the region.

"They didn't like the fact that we told them that condoms don't protect against all sexually transmitted diseases," López told the Spanish-language edition of EWTN News a month later in September 2024.

Likewise, the expert continued, "when you tell a girl, 'take it, here's your contraceptive.' What are you telling her? What's the underlying message? That you can have sexual relations whenever you want, as long as you 'take care of yourself.'" And if either the contraceptive or the condom fails, they are offered abortion, she warned.

Hoyos told EWTN News that "God will hold us accountable for all the lives we are allowing to be murdered in the world," emphasizing that "the IUD or the morning-after pill are means that cause abortion."

The statement from the Diocese of Cajamarca also noted that "since the ad about [the talk] was published, feminist and LGBTQ+ groups, both local and national, have labeled the event on social media as a 'serious offense, misinformation, shameful, anti-rights, etc.'"

On the day of the talk, the text continues, "a group of members of the aforementioned groups attended who were agitated and violent during the talk, and with a ruthless and cruel attitude, shouted, mocked, and constantly interrupted. Thanks to the intervention of security provided by the [book fair] organization, nothing further escalated."

Regarding the complaint filed by Solís, the diocese called "on those who administer justice to carefully evaluate the criteria of the complaint, which are not consistent with the aforementioned values, nor with the freedom of religion and speech that governs our people."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Vatican City, Mar 14, 2025 / 07:30 am (CNA).

Pope Francis was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on Friday, Feb. 14, to undergo testing and treatment for bronchitis.

Follow here for the latest news on his health and hospitalization:

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Madrid, Spain, Mar 13, 2025 / 15:35 pm (CNA).

Regnum Christi has announced that it will review the safe environments protocols it has in place in Spain following five allegations of sexual abuse against the former secretary of Marcial Maciel, Legionary priest Marcelino de Andrés Núñez, who worked at the Highlands El Encinar school in that country.

Maciel, the founder of the Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi, was found to have sexually abused at least 60 minors, most between the ages of 11 and 16, according to a report issued by the Legionaries of Christ in December 2019. 

The measure was announced in a letter to the students' parents dated March 11 listing a series of "public commitments" that were reportedly conveyed to the students' parents in an in-person meeting held Monday.

The section on reviewing processes and protocols begins with the decision to "select and hire an external auditing firm to review existing safe environment protocols and to identify and implement areas for improvement."

Additionally, the current protocols and codes of conduct as well as the hiring process for all school staff will be examined, and it will be verified that all persons in contact with minors "have an updated Sexual Offenses Certificate."

In addition, a one-month period has been established for the governing board of Regnum Christi schools to review whether the school's principal, Father Jesús María Delgado, LC, should remain in his position.

Previous protests by parents

Upon learning of the priest's arrest, Regnum Christi acknowledged through a FAQ section on its website that some parents had protested the priest's hiring in 2023.

"They asked that he not continue at the school, and their opposition had to do with the fact that the priest had been Marcial Maciel's secretary, not because they had perceived inappropriate behavior with minors," the website states.

This situation had already occurred in 2015 at another school in Madrid, Highlands Los Fresnos, where Maciel's former secretary had worked since 2011. Due to the protests, "it was then requested that he take a secretarial job in Rome, and he did not remain at the school."

Support for victims

Among the announced commitments, Regnum Christi offers families who report abuse to listen and attend to their needs, "whether or not they are in school," as well as "independent and specialized services from experts in listening and comprehensive care."

In addition, Regnum Christi will provide "psychological counseling sessions in specialized private centers" for all families at the school, helping them address the issue in a conversation at home.

Two additional complaints

In a new statement dated March 13, the sixth since the priest's arrest, the school's administration said that it is seeking "official confirmation" from the police about two additional complaints against the priest, which were reported on by a popular television program in Spain.

"We have not received information from the police regarding this development, but we wanted to share it with all of you while we seek official confirmation," the statement explained.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

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Vatican City, Mar 13, 2025 / 16:10 pm (CNA).

Pope Francis marked the 12th anniversary of his pontificate on Thursday from Rome's Gemelli Hospital, where he has been receiving treatment for pneumonia for nearly a month.

Hospital staff commemorated the occasion by presenting the 88-year-old pope with a cake decorated with candles. Additionally, he received hundreds of drawings, messages, and letters from children and well-wishers worldwide.

The Holy See Press Office told journalists that Pope Francis continued his medication regimen, motor physiotherapy, and high-flow oxygen therapy on Thursday morning. He participated in spiritual exercises and prayed in the hospital chapel.

In the afternoon, he followed the Roman Curia's spiritual exercises via video link to the Paul VI Hall and continued respiratory therapy. His clinical condition remains stable yet complex, according to the Vatican, with ongoing "noninvasive mechanical ventilation" at night and high-flow oxygenation during the day.

Friday will mark one month since the pope's hospitalization. During his hospital stay, the pope has experienced multiple episodes of acute respiratory failure in which his situation appeared critical. After weeks of treatment, the pope's doctors indicated on Tuesday that the Holy Father is "no longer in immediate danger from the respiratory infection."

A chest X-ray earlier this week indicated "a slight improvement" in Pope Francis' lungs. The Vatican is currently not providing an estimate for when the pope may be discharged from the hospital.

At the age of 76, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th successor of St. Peter on March 13, 2013, taking the name Pope Francis in honor of St. Francis of Assisi. He is the first Latin American pope and the first from the Jesuit order.

To mark the 12th anniversary of Francis' pontificate, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin will offer a Mass for the pope on Friday morning in the Pauline Chapel of the Apostolic Palace, attended by members of the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. The liturgy will be broadcast live via Vatican Media at 10:30 a.m. local time.

Catholics are invited to gather in St. Peter's Square on Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. to pray the rosary for the pope's recovery.

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CNA Staff, Mar 13, 2025 / 16:55 pm (CNA).

Here is a roundup of recent pro-life and abortion-related news.

FDA chief counsel resigns after outcry over defense of abortion pill

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) chief counsel resigned Thursday following criticism from pro-life advocates for having defended abortion pills for the Biden administration. 

As a trial lawyer with the Biden administration's Department of Justice, Hilary Perkins defended access to the abortion pill mifepristone during a lawsuit against the FDA.

Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri had criticized Perkins' appointment in a post on X on Wednesday, saying "I can't imagine anyone who would be more at odds with President Trump's agenda." His post followed an Axios story that drew attention to Perkins' appointment.

Hawley noted that Perkins also opposed conscience rights for vaccines during COVID-19 and argued in favor of vaccine mandates.

Perkins joined the Department of Justice during Trump's first term as a trial attorney at the Consumer Protection branch beginning in April 2019 and was retained by the Biden administration.

Acting FDA general counsel Sean Keveney appointed Perkins on Tuesday as part of a reorganization effort by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"I'm pleased Makary has reconsidered that position and dismissed this lawyer," Hawley said in a post on Thursday, referring to FDA commissioner-designate Marty Makary.

During his hearing last week, Makary had pledged to review safety policies surrounding the abortion pill.

Montana judge blocks law barring Medicaid-funded abortion

A Montana judge blocked the enforcement of three pro-life restrictions that limit the public funding of Medicaid-covered abortions. 

The restrictions included two laws passed in 2023 as well as a regulation from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. 

One bill put into effect July 1, 2023, laid out restrictions for abortions covered under Montana's Medicaid program. It only allowed publicly-funded coverage of abortion when a patient's physical health was threatened, or if a pregnancy could aggravate severe mental illness or intellectual disability. The bill also required a physical examination before an abortion and instructed that only physicians in the state can perform abortions covered by Medicaid.

Another bill effective the same date prohibited public funding for abortion, including Medicaid. The bill allows exceptions if the patient's life is in danger or if the pregnancy was a result of rape or incest.  

The Department of Public Health rule requires that for an abortion to be covered by Medicaid the abortion can only be performed by doctors. It also requires a physical examination and patient records before abortion. 

In the March 11 ruling, Judge Mike Menahan of the Montana District Court for Lewis and Clark County ruled that women seeking abortion were being treated unequally compared with women carrying their pregnancy to term because of these various restrictions on Medicaid-funded abortions. Menahan maintained that poverty should not play into the ability of a woman to have an abortion. 

Child support from moment of conception debated in Kansas

The Kansas Senate debated a bill on Tuesday that could require child support payments beginning at conception.

The child support bill would provide child support payment orders from the date of conception, designed to include medical and pregnancy-related expenses for the mother. The payment orders would not include money for elective abortions.

The bill would also provide an income tax exemption for unborn children. 

Opponents criticized the bill for providing unborn children with a tax ID number and argued that the bill could lead to personhood rights for the unborn. Proponents, however, argued that it would help financially support single mothers who were facing unplanned pregnancies.

The bill defined an unborn child as "a living individual organism of the species homo sapiens, in utero, at any stage of gestation from fertilization to birth."

The Senate passed an amended version of the bill with 30 voting in favor and nine voting against. The House, which passed the original bill, will still need to approve the version with its amendments. 

Study links abortion and attempted suicide

A recent survey found women who have had an abortion are twice as likely to attempt suicide, while women who had successfully delivered their children had the lowest attempt rate. 

The Charlotte Lozier Institute study found that "women who experience pregnancy losses, either induced or natural, are at higher risk of suicidal and self-destructive thoughts and behaviors." 

Elliot Institute Director and Charlotte Lozier Associate Scholar David Reardon led the study, which was published Jan. 21 in the Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology.

The study surveyed nearly 3,000 American women ages 41-45, including women who had abortions, difficult pregnancies, pregnancy loss, and live births, as well as women who had never been pregnant.

Reardon found that "aborting women were twice as likely to have attempted suicide compared to other women" and that women who had abortions were "significantly more likely to say their pregnancy outcomes directly contributed to suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to women in all other groups."

Those who had an abortion had the highest rate of suicide attempts, at nearly 35%, while women with pregnancy loss had the second highest rate at 30%. 

Among women who had abortions, those coerced into abortion had the highest rate of attempted suicide at 46.2%, while women who reported that they had chosen abortion freely had a 29.5% rate of attempted suicide. 

Women who had experienced at least one live birth and had no pregnancy loss or problematic pregnancies had the lowest attempted suicide rate at 13.4%.

"Our findings require rejection of the null hypothesis that pregnancy outcomes, especially abortion, have no effect on suicidal thoughts and behaviors," the study read. 

The study recommended post-abortion mental health checkups and support as well as screening for patients "who may feel pressured to abort contrary to their own values and preference." 

The study also recommended that mental health workers "be aware of the elevated risks of suicidal thoughts and behaviors associated with natural and induced pregnancy losses."

"These findings should be used to improve both pre-abortion screening and counseling and post-abortion care," the study concluded.

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