Cornhusker State News

The Nebraska Catholic Conference has launched a campaign urging voters to reject Initiative 439, which they describe as an “extreme abortion initiative.” 

Initiative 439, pushed by pro-abortion activists, seeks to enshrine unregulated late-pregnancy abortion in the Nebraska Constitution, a move that has sparked significant controversy across the state.

In a gathering at the Archbishop’s Vigil for Life on Sept. 28 at St. Mary Church, Archbishop George J. Lucas, who leads the Archdiocese of Omaha, advocated against Initiative 439. 

“Already manifestations of God’s creative love, these brothers and sisters of ours … need to be cherished and loved and protected,” he said. “Not simply because of possibilities for their lives, not simply in terms of a concept of who they might be, but because we believe they exist now, and they can’t take care of themselves.”

Attention to the issue is a societal responsibility, according to Lucas. 

“This is a matter of faith for us, but it’s also a matter of the influence that Jesus asks us to have in the society and community in which we live, an influence for what’s good and true,” he said. 

Warning against complacency regarding the protection of unborn children, Lucas called for Catholics to act.  

“The complete protection that we all desire and hope to one day achieve keeps us from being in a worse situation than we are in now,” he said. 

Lucas noted inaction will result “in the deaths of many more unborn children in our state” and warned parishioners of the environment that would be created in the state. 

“It would not be the state you would want to be in. It’s not the kind of community that we would want to live in,” he said. 

Regardless of the outcome, Lucas urged attendees not to lose hope. 

“As we go through this process in the coming weeks, that we not be discouraged,” he said. “We’re going to be here the day after the election. Whatever the result, the Lord will be with us in the Church.” 

Lucas emphasized the ongoing need for support and advocacy.  

“We’ll have the intercession and the protection of our Mother Mary,” he said. “And we have a lot of good work to do, because one way or the other, the day after the election, there will be women who are troubled about their pregnancies and who are afraid or isolated, worried in all kinds of ways.”

As Election Day on Nov. 5 approaches, Lucas called for a commitment to prayer and action. 

“We need to pray always, of course,” he said. “But this is a really crucial time. I encourage us all to pray about how we might influence others.” 

In a flier distributed to the public, the Nebraska Catholic Conference outlined several key arguments against Initiative 439, labeling it as "unsafe," "unregulated," and "un-Nebraskan." 

In the flier the Nebraska Catholic Conference claims that passing Initiative 439 would eliminate long-standing protections against coerced abortions, exposing women and girls to serious health risks.

One of the primary concerns highlighted is the potential for late-pregnancy abortions to become more accessible without necessary regulations.

The Nebraska Catholic Conference argues that vague language within the initiative could lead to an increase in abortions late in pregnancy, jeopardizing the lives of healthy babies deemed “non-viable” by abortion clinic employees.

Initiative 439 has also faced criticism for its financial backing from out-of-state special interest groups and abortion corporations, which the Conference asserts stand to benefit from increased abortion rates in Nebraska. 

The Nebraska Catholic Conference emphasized that this influx of external influence undermines local values and priorities.

"Family, friends, and fellow Nebraskans offer compassion and care throughout pregnancy and beyond," the Nebraska Catholic Conference flier states. 

The Nebraska Catholic Conference has argued that unregulated abortion could pressure women into making decisions without the support they need. 

Nebraska Initiative 434 and Initiative 439 represent two contrasting approaches to abortion regulation in the state. 

The competing initiatives highlight a fundamental divide in Nebraska's approach to abortion, with one focusing on protection and informed consent, while the other pushes for unrestricted access to abortions under potentially unsafe conditions. 

Initiative 434 seeks to reinforce existing protections, such as parental and informed consent, ensuring that Nebraska women receive vital information before making decisions about their pregnancies. 

Initiative 434 desires to safeguard the wellbeing of families and uphold ethical medical practices within the state.

Initiative 434 also aims to maintain health and safety standards for medical procedures and protects physicians who must navigate extreme medical situations, emphasizing a framework that prioritizes both women's health and parental involvement. 

In stark opposition, Initiative 439 advocates for broader access to abortion, including late-term and partial-birth procedures up until birth. 

Critics argue that Initiative 439 could endanger vulnerable young girls by providing cover for sex traffickers and sexual predators, undermining the very protections that Initiative 434 seeks to uphold. 

Funded by out-of-state activists, Initiative 439 would eliminate essential health and safety standards and allow taxpayer funding for abortions. 

Critics also note Initiative 439 poses significant risks by permitting unlicensed individuals to make critical medical determinations, effectively sidelining established protections such as parental notification.