Missouri bishops urge prayer, fasting for passage of Amendment 3 to regulate abortion in the state
Bishop Ralph B. O’Donnell and Missouri’s three other Roman Catholic bishops are urging Catholics and all people of faith and goodwill to pray and fast for the successful passage of Amendment 3 to the Missouri Constitution.
Amendment 3, which Missouri voters will consider in November 2026, would modify a previous amendment that narrowly passed in 2024 and substantially weakened the state’s hard-fought regulations on abortion.
Among those contested regulations are: allowing only medical doctors with admitting privileges to a nearby hospital be allowed to perform abortions; requiring parental consent for minors seeking abortions; and requiring abortion clinics to be licensed and inspected.
“This year, Missourians will have the opportunity to restore those safeguards by voting for Amendment 3,” the bishops said in a joint statement released March 25. “The proposed constitutional amendment will protect women’s health and safety and restore protections for the unborn.”
Signing the statement were Archbishop Mitchell T. Rozanski of St. Louis, Bishop O’Donnell, Bishop James V. Johnston Jr. of Kansas City-St. Joseph, and Bishop Edward M. Rice of Springfield-Cape Girardeau in their role as board members of the Missouri Catholic Conference (MCC) (mocatholic.org).
The MCC is the public-policy agency of the state’s four Roman Catholic dioceses.
The Missouri bishops’ statement was released on the Solemnity of the Annunciation, recalling the day on which Jesus was conceived in the Blessed Mother’s womb.
In the statement, the bishops reiterated their commitment to protecting the sanctity and dignity of all human life, including the poor and needy, refugees and immigrants, prisoners on death row, and mothers and children.
“In Missouri,” the bishops asserted, “this dignity is being threatened by the pro-abortion amendment passed in 2024.”
They said that amendment “enshrined a sweeping right to abortion in the State Constitution and eliminated the legislature’s ability to set common-sense safeguards for the abortion industry.”
“We ask the faithful and all people of good will to join us in prayer and fasting for the success of Amendment 3 and to support each human person from conception to natural death,” the bishops stated.
Bishop O’Donnell proclaimed the statement from the ambo of the Cathedral of St. Joseph, during a Holy Hour for Life at noon on March 25.
About 90 people attended the Holy Hour, which included prayers, hymns, Scripture readings, a Litany for Life, and Benediction.
“Let us in this hour of prayer pray for the grace that as a state, we will give voice to respect for all human life, from conception to natural death,” said Bishop O’Donnell.
“Gift of life”
The bishops agreed that in each of their dioceses, the 25th day of each month from now to the election “we would call forth particular attention to prayer and fasting for the success of Amendment 3,” said Bishop O’Donnell.
A special prayer card will be distributed in churches throughout the diocese.
Bishop O’Donnell pointed out that there are only two days out of the Church year that the faithful pause and genuflect during the reciting of the Nicene Creed: the Solemnity of the Annunciation, and the Solemnity of the Nativity of Our Lord (Christmas Day).
The genuflection takes place during the Creed while the faithful are saying together, “For us men and for our salvation, he came down from heaven, and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and became man.”
“On the Feast of the Annunciation, we are reminded of the Word becoming flesh by the power of the Holy Spirit, at the moment of his conception in the womb of the Blessed Mother,” said Bishop O’Donnell.
“At that moment, the Word became Flesh and dwelled among us,” the bishop continued. “And it’s the same for you, for me and for all human life — from the moment of conception, the gift of life is with us.”
Bishop O’Donnell urged everyone present to thank God for the gift of life and to ask that God’s grace be stirred within the conscience of this nation and the entire world, for a renewed commitment to the dignity of all human life in each person.
“And may we also have the grace to act with prayerful vigilance, to encourage all to recognize that gift and in the many ways we can to support life,” he said.
He specifically called to mind all men and women who find themselves with pregnancies that they may not be able to afford.
“They may have circumstances, conditions or particular needs that we as the faithful can respond to and be present with,” he noted.
He implored everyone present to help in any way possible and to pray for the grace that as a state “we will give voice to respect for all human life, from conception to natural death.”
The full text of the Missouri bishops’ statement, in English and Spanish, can be found at: mocatholic.org/bishops-statements.
More information can be found on the Pro-Life page of the Jefferson City diocese’s website: diojeffcity.org/pro-life-ministry.
