Killea, a Catholic, was told to recant her position on abortion if she wished to take communion. She responded that she would retain her pro-choice position and forsake communion.

On November 7, at its annual conference in Baltimore, the National Conference of Catholic Bishops passed a resolution which stated, "No Catholic can responsibly take a 'pro-choice' stand when the 'choice' in question involves abortion." They urged all public officials, especially Catholics, to work to end legal abortions. Although abortion may be a "sin" in the eyes of the church, in the United States it is not a crime, as Bishop Maher maintains.