In a rather rare move, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Liberia, (CABICOL) has rejected the Inter-Religious Council of Liberia’s call to pass the New Public Health Bill in its entirety, declaring that it “unequivocally rejects” the concept of “justified abortion” contained in Chapter 49 of the draft law.
In a statement released Sunday, June 7, 2026, on the Solemnity of Corpus Domini, the bishops said while the Catholic Church shares values of justice, peace, reconciliation and human dignity with other faiths, it cannot support the bill’s provisions on sexual and reproductive health.
The religious body says it stands in total disagreement with Inter-Religious Council after it endorsed the New Public Health Bill and urged the Legislature to pass it without changes.
In its statement, CABICOL said it was compelled to clarify its position because the Council’s endorsement does not reflect the Catholic Church’s stance.
The statement was signed by CABICOL President Most Rev. Anthony Borwah, Bishop of Gbarnga; Most Rev. Andrew Jagaye Karnley, Bishop of Cape Palmas; and Most Rev. Archbishop Gabriel Blamo Jubwe, Metropolitan Archbishop of Monrovia.
“While the Catholic Church shared some important values like justice, peace, reconciliation, human dignity, etc with our Brothers and Sisters of other faiths, 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 wrote.
CABICOL pointed back to an August 29, 2023 statement in which it asked the National Legislature to reconsider Part X, Health and Related Rights, Chapter 49. Sexual and Reproductive Health of the bill.
The body argues that the chapter contains provisions that would expand legal grounds for abortion in Liberia.
Also, citing the Fifth Commandment, “Thou shall not kill, Exodus 20:13,” and the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the bishops said human life is sacred “from the moment of conception until death.”
They accordingly rejected any legal framework that permits abortion, even under conditions the bill describes as “justified.”
“Every human life, from the moment of conception until death, is sacred because the human person has been willed for its own sake in the image and likeness of the living and holy God,” the statement read, referencing CCC 2319.
The bishops directed all Catholic health institutions in Liberia to continue respecting life from conception to natural death.
They also urged Liberians of all faiths who believe in the sanctity of life to join them in opposing the abortion provisions.
They concluded their statement with prayers to Christ and Mary, Mother of the Church, asking for strength and intercession “for us all.”
The New Public Health Bill has been a contentious issue in the Legislature since 2023. Health advocates argue the bill modernizes Liberia’s health laws and addresses maternal mortality, while religious groups, led by the Catholic Church, say it undermines constitutional and moral protections for unborn life.
With the Inter-Religious Council backing the bill and CABICOL opposing parts of it, the debate now moves back to lawmakers who must decide whether to amend Chapter 49 or pass the legislation as drafted.
About The Author
