CABICOL Distances Itself from Inter-Religious Council’s Endorsement, Calls for Protection of Life from Conception
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Liberia (CABICOL) has strongly opposed portions of Liberia’s proposed Public Health Bill, particularly provisions relating to abortion, declaring that it cannot support the legislation in its current form.
In a statement issued on Sunday from the National Catholic Secretariat in Gaye Town, Sinkor, the country’s Catholic bishops rejected what they described as the bill’s concept of “justified abortion” and reaffirmed the Church’s longstanding position that human life must be protected from conception until natural death.
The statement comes in response to a recent position taken by the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia, which reportedly endorsed and called for the passage of the New Public Health Bill in its entirety.
“We want to categorically state that we are not in agreement with the Inter-Religious Council in endorsing and requesting the passage of the New Public Health Bill of Liberia in its entirety,” the bishops declared.
The bishops reminded lawmakers and the public that the Catholic Church had previously raised concerns about the legislation on August 29, 2023. At that time, CABICOL urged the National Legislature to reconsider Part X, Chapter 49, which deals with Sexual and Reproductive Health.
According to the bishops, the disputed section contains provisions that conflict with Catholic teachings on the sanctity of life.
Citing the Biblical commandment “Thou Shall Not Kill” (Exodus 20:13) and the teachings of the Catholic Church, the statement emphasized that every human life possesses inherent dignity and sacred value.
“Every human life, from the moment of conception until death, is sacred,” the bishops stated, adding that the Church remains firmly opposed to abortion under any legal framework that permits the intentional termination of unborn life.
Appeal to Health Institutions and Citizens
The Catholic leadership called upon Catholic health institutions throughout Liberia, as well as all citizens of goodwill, to continue promoting and defending the dignity of human life.
The statement urged healthcare providers, policymakers, and ordinary Liberians to uphold values that respect life from conception to its natural end.
The bishops further prayed for divine guidance as the national debate over the Public Health Bill continues.
“May Christ, who came that all may have life and have it to the full, be our strength,” the statement read. The bishops also invoked the intercession of the Virgin Mary, describing her as “Mother of the Church and Mother of the Unborn.”
Senior Church Leaders Sign Statement
The statement was jointly signed by three of Liberia’s most senior Catholic leaders:
Anthony Borwah
Andrew Jagaye Karnley
Gabriel Blamo Jubwe
The declaration was issued on June 7, 2026, coinciding with the Solemnity of Corpus Domini at the National Catholic Secretariat in Sinkor, Monrovia.
The latest intervention by CABICOL signals that the proposed Public Health Bill remains one of the country’s most contentious legislative measures. While supporters argue that the legislation seeks to strengthen public health and reproductive healthcare services, the Catholic Church maintains that any provision permitting abortion is incompatible with its moral and religious teachings.
As lawmakers continue deliberations, the issue is expected to generate intense public debate among religious institutions, health professionals, civil society organizations, and policymakers across Liberia.
