“Catholics for Choice” Launches Massive Attack on Catholic Church

At the 69th Commission on the Status of Women (CSW69), held at UN Headquarters in New York these last two weeks, the pro-abortion NGO Catholics for Choice (CFC) launched an astonishing and hostile verbal attack against the Holy See during the General Discussion—a session meant for civil dialogue and constructive exchange.

CFC’s representative accused the Holy See of being “a threat to religious freedom and women’s rights” and claimed that as long as the Holy See maintains Permanent Observer status at the United Nations, “true reproductive freedom”—whatever that means—cannot be achieved. These remarks are not new for CFC, whose history of anti-Vatican rhetoric stretches back to its founding in 1973. However, their statements’ escalation and public ferocity at this year’s CSW were shocking to many delegations and NGOs [Non-Governmental Organizations].

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Earlier this week, at a pro-abortion side event inside the UN compound, CFC’s spokesperson denigrated the Holy See further—suggesting its role at the UN is equivalent to Disneyworld having consultative status. The speakers also declared that the fetus “is not a person” and mockingly denied the Bible’s moral clarity on the sanctity of life. Such statements constitute not only theological misinformation but also a direct affront to the beliefs of a billion faithful Catholics.

What’s more, CFC’s comments contradict the very principles of respectful dialogue the United Nations claims to uphold. ECOSOC Resolution 1996/31—the governing document for NGOs in consultative status—explicitly states that organizations must “contribute to the deliberative process of the United Nations” and not “abuse their status” for political attacks against Member States or Permanent Observers. Publicly maligning the Holy See during official proceedings at CSW69 crosses that line.

As a sovereign entity and Permanent Observer at the UN since 1964, the Holy See has consistently advanced the well-being of women and children—championing maternal healthcare, education, and economic empowerment. Its vision for women’s dignity is grounded in care, inclusion, and a deep respect for life.

CFC, by contrast, promotes an ideological agenda centered almost exclusively on abortion access—often to the exclusion of broader needs expressed by women in the developing world.

CFC’s long campaign to undermine the Holy See at the UN contradicts its own convoluted stated values of pluralism and dialogue. Their behavior, particularly at CSW69, risks turning the civil society space at the United Nations into an echo chamber of ideological extremism, where intimidation replaces discourse, and insult replaces advocacy.

The role of civil society at the UN is crucial—but it carries responsibilities. If NGOs are to retain the trust of Member States, they must engage with dignity, respect the sovereignty of others, and work in the spirit of cooperation, not confrontation.

The actions of Catholics for Choice run contrary to these expectations and to the shared values that make constructive dialogue possible.

LifeNews.com Note: Raimundo Rojas is the director of Outreach Director for the National Right to Life Committee. He is a former president of Florida Right to Life and has presented the pro-life message to millions in Spanish-language media outlets. He represents NRLC at the United Nations as an NGO. Rojas was born in Santiago de las Vegas, Havana, Cuba and he and his family escaped to the United States in 1968.