Most Rev. Austin A. Vetter Bishop | Diocese of Helena

MCC Social Advocacy is promoting a letter from Montana’s Catholic Bishops regarding Constitutional Initiative 128 (CI-128), released on Wednesday, August 28.

In their letter, Bishop Fleming and Bishop Emeritus Warfel of the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings and Bishop Vetter of the Diocese of Helena highlight the potential dangers this proposed amendment to the State’s Constitution could bring to Montana. They urge all Montanans to vote against CI-128 in November. The full text of the letter follows:

"A Message From the Catholic Bishops of Montana Regarding Abortion Ballot Issue Constitutional Initiative (CI-128)

Dear People of God,

On May 3rd of this year, we issued a pastoral call to reject Constitutional Initiative 128 (CI-128) and prevent it from appearing on the November ballot in Montana. Sadly, after large amounts of out-of-state funding, Planned Parenthood and its associates have succeeded. This grave threat to unborn children, mothers, and families will be on the ballot. As followers of Jesus and faith-filled citizens of Montana, we are compelled to speak boldly in defense of the infinite dignity of every human life.

We implore voters to scrutinize the full text of CI-128. Through the careful use of undefined terms, it nullifies Montana’s current abortion regulations and safeguards while creating some of the most radical constitutional provisions for abortion in our Nation.

The ballot language, or voter’s summary of CI-128, is grossly insufficient and misleading. Furthermore, the full text of the initiative, which voters will not see at the ballot box, clearly raises grave moral and ethical concerns. The full text of CI-128 will place expectant mothers at risk and enshrine extreme abortion procedures in our Montana Constitution.

In section one, the full text of CI-128 establishes abortion as a right that may not be “burdened” by the government if in any way this would interfere with a mother’s “autonomous decision-making.” It clearly follows that any regulation of abortion can be characterized as a burden that conflicts with autonomous decision-making.

Any of the following could easily present such a “burden”:

Montana’s Supreme Court has recently struck down a law requiring parental consent. CI-128 goes even further by eliminating Montana’s current requirement that parents be notified about an abortion procedure on their minor child. This initiative isolates pregnant girls when they need their parents most.

CI-128 would create significant risk in Montana for underage pregnant mothers by:

We believe that Montana’s children have a fundamental right to life and to grow up safely in our State. We ask all Catholics to continue to pray, abstain from meat on Wednesdays, and share the disturbing truth about CI-128 with people that God has placed in our lives. Again, we implore all people of good will to read the full text of CI-128 in your voter guide, search and form your conscience, stand with our children against CI-128, and vote NO on your ballot.

In Christ,

Most Rev. Jeffrey M. Fleming

Bishop of Great Falls-Billings

President

Most Rev. Austin A. Vetter

Bishop of Helena

Vice President

Most Rev. Michael W. Warfel

Bishop Emeritus Of Great Falls-Billings"