BRAINTREE -- The Massachusetts Senate has passed a bill that would allow abortion after 24 weeks and potentially until birth if a doctor deems it medically necessary, despite the objections of the state's four Catholic bishops.

The state Senate passed S. 1563, "An Act Prioritizing Patient Access to Care," on July 31, the last day of the state Legislature's formal session. The bill now awaits Gov. Maura Healey's signature to become law.

On July 29, one week after the bill passed the state House of Representatives, the bishops released a statement through the Massachusetts Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the Church in Massachusetts, which called the bill "a radical measure that is gravely immoral."

In their statement, the state's four bishops -- Archbishop Richard G. Henning of Boston, Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha of Fall River, and Bishop William D. Byrne of Springfield -- urged the State Senate not to pass the bill, which would make Massachusetts's abortion laws, already some of the most permissive in the nation, even looser.

Under current law, abortions after 24 weeks are only allowed to preserve the patient's life or their physical or mental health, or in cases of lethal or severe fetal abnormalities. If the new bill is signed into law, abortions up to birth will be allowed according to "the professional judgment of the physician." The measure would also eliminate the requirement that late-term abortions be performed in a hospital setting.

"As Catholic bishops we have a moral responsibility to present and uphold Catholic teaching and the sacred God-given dignity of every human life from conception to the natural death," the bishops wrote in their statement.

Supporters of the bill say that it expands access to care for women whose unborn children experienced medical emergencies in the womb, who were unable to receive treatment in Massachusetts under current law. Pro-life opponents say the bill would permit the elective abortion of healthy unborn babies at a point in development when the child can experience pain and could potentially survive outside the womb.

"Life is beautiful!" The bishops wrote in their statement. "We invite the Catholic community to pray for a renewal of reverence for all human life. We reaffirm the Church's call to its own community and to civil society to provide the resources to welcome and cherish the gift of life, as well as to accompany women and families who have known the tragedy of abortion."

The statement also referenced Pope Leo XIV's prayer intention for the month of July, "for the respect and protection of human life in all its stages."

Following is the full text of the bishops' statement:

On July 22, 2026, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed legislation which removed all remaining legal limits on late-term abortions in the Commonwealth. In these final days of the legislative session the Massachusetts Senate is considering the same question of late-term abortions. Late-term in this case means abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy and up until the birth of the child.

As Catholic bishops we have a moral responsibility to present and uphold Catholic teaching and the sacred God-given dignity of every human life from conception to the natural death.

The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral. Our hope is that the state Senate will not follow the House on this measure.

Life is beautiful! We invite the Catholic community to pray for a renewal of reverence for all human life. We reaffirm the Church's call to its own community and to civil society to provide the resources to welcome and cherish the gift of life, as well as to accompany women and families who have known the tragedy of abortion. Let there be room in our hearts for the most vulnerable among us. May we recall and live the Lord's own word "whatsoever you do to the least of these you do to me."

We join Pope Leo in his prayer intentions for the month of July as he implored the Lord Jesus to help us love life as He does, "with tenderness, fidelity, and self-giving." We uphold his call, "May we proclaim, in words and action, that every human life is worth the total gift of ourselves."

+ Most Reverend Richard G. Henning

Archbishop of Boston

+ Most Reverend Robert J. McManus

Bishop of Worcester

+ Most Reverend Edgar M. da Cunha

Bishop of Fall River

+ Most Reverend William D. Byrne

Bishop of Springfield