As Respect Life Month begins, Catholic leaders share advice on how to talk about abortion

Catholic leaders are offering advice on discussing abortion as the United States begins Respect Life Month in October.

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a senior ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center, suggested that the way people speak about the topic is often more important than the specific details of the conversation. He advised that Catholics should use sympathetic language to acknowledge the fears of women facing unexpected pregnancies. Pacholczyk noted that women often experience feelings of shame, loneliness, or abandonment, and addressing these emotions can help create space for dialogue.

The advice comes as access to chemical abortion pills increases for women and girls across the country. Pacholczyk stated that responding to these situations with support and accompaniment serves as a way to demonstrate a better response to pregnancy crises.