Sign the petition to protest honor for pro-abortion senator
September 23, 2025
Dear Friends,
Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago has announced plans to honor Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin with a lifetime achievement award at a Nov. 3 fund-raiser.
This is outrageous, and two bishops are saying so publicly.
Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield Illinois, Durbin’s home diocese, has issued a scathing statement calling for Cardinal Cupich to rescind the award.
“Senator Durbin, who has been barred from receiving Holy Communion in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois since 2004 for his public support of abortion, should not be celebrated by the Church,” Bishop Paprocki said. “This decision not only contradicts the Church’s moral doctrine but also sows confusion about the seriousness of abortion and the integrity of Catholic witness in public life. I urge Cardinal Cupich to reconsider this action for the sake of clarity, unity, and fidelity to the Gospel of Life.”
Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco wrote on X that he agrees with Paprocki:
“Bishop Paprocki is correct that both clarity and unity are at risk,” the archbishop said. “I hope this will be a clarion call to all members of the Body of Christ to speak out to make clear the grave evil that is the taking of innocent human life.”
The Archbishop said this is an opportunity for us all to speak out. And hence I’m asking you to do so by continuing to read this, click through, and sign our petition.
In 2004, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a statement called Catholics in Political Life. In it, they said they should never do something like Cardinal Cupich has done. They wrote,
“The Catholic community and Catholic institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors or platforms which would suggest support for their actions.”
Since Durbin was sworn in as a senator in 1997, he has offered nothing but full-throated support for abortion. He has voted against bills to mandate life-saving treatment for newborns who survive abortion; supports having taxpayers pay for abortion through the Medicaid program; opposes parental rights when minor girls seek abortion and even voted against protecting babies from the horrific and brutal partial birth abortion.
This is a man who does not deserve to be honored by the Catholic Church and you don’t have to be Catholic to know that. Abortion is the violent killing of an innocent human being and it is wrong no matter who is responsible or what their religious faith may be. Supporting abortion is not only against Catholic teaching; it’s against the meaning of public service, and against human decency and the principles of civilized society.
Will you help me send that message to Cardinal Cupich?
When you click this link (ProLifePetition.com), you’ll be letting me know you agree that Durbin does not deserve any type of honor from the Catholic Church or the pro-life community and you'll also be able to sign the petition that we will forward to the cardinal at the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Thank you in advance for helping to correct this serious injustice. And please share this email with anyone you think may be interested!
Regards,
Pro-Life Leader Frank Pavone
National Director, Priests for Life