Archbishop Richard Henning, joined by Bishop Robert Joseph McManus of Worcester, Bishop Edgar Moreira da Cunha of Fall River and Bishop William Byrne of Springfield, issued the statement Saturday in response to an editorial Healey published defending her decision. The bishops said they had read the governor's explanation and "respectfully and passionately disagree."

"We also disagree that there is an emergency requiring the further expansion of the existing and already radically permissive law," the bishops wrote.

The dispute centers on "An Act Prioritizing Patient Access to Care," which Healey signed in August. The law allows abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy to proceed at a physician's discretion, removing requirements that the patient's life or health be at risk or that the fetus be nonviable. It was scheduled to take effect Nov. 8, 90 days after signing.

Massachusetts Citizens for Life, an anti-abortion group, gathered more than 100,000 signatures on a petition seeking to place a question about the law on the ballot, a maneuver that threatened to suspend the statute until at least 2028. Healey signed the emergency declaration Friday to ensure the law took effect as planned, blocking that delay.

The bishops also called on lawmakers who drafted and passed the bill to reconsider what they described as a "utilitarian and merciless approach" to the elderly, the sick, the vulnerable and the unborn, quoting Pope Leo: "The right to life is the indispensable foundation of every other human right." They thanked the petition coalition and said their work defending life at all stages continues.

Healey, asked for comment on the bishops' statement, pointed to a Substack post she published after issuing the declaration. "I am Catholic, and my faith is an important part of who I am," she wrote, adding that her faith has shaped her positively. "I am also Governor for people of every faith and belief. My responsibility is to ensure that every family can make deeply personal medical decisions according to their own circumstances, values and the guidance of their doctors."

The declaration drew praise from the American Civil Liberties Union of Massachusetts. Executive Director Carol Rose said at least nine families in recent months had been told they must travel out of state for abortion care, away from their communities and trusted providers, adding stress and cost to an already painful situation. "This is a real and ongoing health care emergency, and it's critical that the law goes into effect this weekend as planned," Rose said.

Myrna Maloney Flynn, president of the local Citizens for Life chapter, criticized the governor's action, saying the declaration "reflects an utter disregard for the men and women she was elected to represent."

The clash underscores the heightened stakes around reproductive health care in Massachusetts, where voters have broadly supported abortion rights but where opponents are pressing a long-game ballot strategy. For residents, the practical effect is that the expanded access law is now in force, while the political and legal fight over it is likely to continue.