Archbishop Thomas Wenski and several experts voiced strong opposition to Florida’s pro-abortion Amendment 4 during a panel discussion at St. Thomas University on September 26, asserting that its passage could turn the state into a “mecca for abortions.”
The panel featured five speakers. Dozens of parishioners, activists, and students attended, and others tuned in to the livestream on the archdiocesan website, according to a report from the Archdiocese of Miami.
Florida’s Amendment 4 has been widely criticized for its deceptive wording, legalizing abortion “before viability,” or at any time to protect the patient’s health, “as determined by the patient’s healthcare provider,” without providing specific definitions of these parameters or others.
Additionally, the amendment lifts several restrictions on abortion, including parental consent and the requirement for a doctor to be present for the procedure, according to the Archdiocese.
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The amendment, according to Archbishop Wenski, “would make Florida a harsher place. It would harden doctors and people who support it.”
“[I]t will make Florida into a mecca for abortions, for people from other states and from South America,” the Archbishop told listeners at the panel discussion.
Catholic organizations have spearheaded opposition to the amendment, raising $834,000 in donations to prevent the “radically pro-abortion” amendment from being passed.
Archbishop Wenski added, “As Catholic citizens, we have a right to participate in the political process. Hopefully, we can convince others of our position. That’s democracy in action.”
One of the speakers was Dr. Grazie Pozo Christie, who described the amendment as a “Trojan horse,” bringing “death and destruction,” the Archdiocese reported.
Christie, a prominent pro-life physician, has voiced her opposition to the proposed amendment in the past, cautioning residents that its intentionally ambiguous language would effectively legalize abortion up until the moment of birth.
Christie highlighted the Archdiocese’s commitment to supporting mothers and children before and after birth through its three pregnancy help centers, which provide essential services such as ultrasounds, baby clothes, formula, and counseling for parents.
“We care about children before and after,” Archbishop Wenski added, according to the report. “And we do it without a plan to make money.”
Earlier this year, Florida’s Catholic bishops issued a joint protest against Amendment 4, expressing disappointment that the amendment was even allowed on the November ballot.
The audience also heard from Sister Ann Immaculée, one of three Sisters of Life present at the event. She shared her order’s mission to “enhance the sacredness of human life” and provide support to women facing pressures to abort. “We say, ‘God loves you, and you have infinite value,’” Sister Ann explained, according to the Archdiocese’s report.
“We want every woman to know, ‘God chose you for this baby. And your love is good and necessary for this child,’” she concluded.
LifeNews Note: Rachel Quackenbush writes for CatholicVote, where this column originally appeared.
