The Catholic Lawyers Society of Metropolitan Detroit joins Archbishop Vigneron in opposing Proposal 3, the so-called “Reproductive Freedom for All” amendment that would change Michigan’s Constitution, putting at risk dozens of state laws that currently protect health, parental rights, conscience rights, and prohibit late-term and partial-birth abortion.
As an organization of Catholic lawyers, we support the right to life from conception to natural death, and we reject the idea that abortion—the deliberate killing of a child—is or should be a constitutional right. As Pope Francis puts it, “Is it legitimate, is it right, to eliminate a human life to resolve a problem?”
Those supporting Proposal 3 claim that it just returns Michigan to the days of Roe v. Wade, but as lawyers we see that it goes much farther than that—it creates a new, vague, and potentially limitless set of “reproductive rights,” “including but not limited to,” abortion, sterilization, and other procedures and services related to reproduction. And unlike laws passed by the state legislature, it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to undo or amend Proposal 3 if it becomes part of the Michigan Constitution.
Laws enacted by the Michigan Legislature—including all of the laws already on the books that fully comply with Roe—would be subject to review under Proposal 3 and could be struck down by the courts because of Proposal 3.
Here are just some possible effects of Proposal 3. It could:
Our position is consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. We respect that not everyone shares our religious beliefs, but as lawyers we hope everyone can agree that rushing to amend the Michigan Constitution with a hasty and overbroad proposal is a bad idea—especially on an issue of such great importance.
Michigan voters owe it to themselves to read the full text of Proposal 3 (not just the ballot summary). The Michigan Catholic Conference provides the full text and accompanying analysis here: https://www.micatholic.org/advocacy/focus/2022/protect-life-vote-no-on-proposal-3.pdf.