When Colorado Democrats passed, and Gov. Jared Polis subsequently signed, House Bill 1279 – the so-called “Reproductive Health Equity Act” – they approved one of the most extreme abortion laws in the country.

It’s not surprising, then, that the leaders of Colorado’s Catholic Church would recoil and vigorously denounce the new law. The bishops urged that the Catholic Democrats who voted for the bill decline to receive Holy Communion.

Those Democrats understandably aren’t happy about such public condemnation, but on this matter, the Church is on solid ground.

The law established abortion as a “fundamental right” in Colorado and forbids virtually any limitations on the practice. As the bishops summarized, “RHEA allows for abortion from conception until birth and for any reason, including the child’s race, sex, or a disability.”

As I wrote recently, “our laws are now so extreme that, in effect, we no longer have the commonsense yet limited requirement that, if a minor is under 18, her parents must be notified (but aren’t required to consent) unless the child obtains a judicial exemption.”

Colorado is a “code state,” meaning unless a law expressly makes something illegal, it is legal. Even if the legislature hadn’t approved the new law and the Supreme Court overturns its landmark Roe v. Wade case this summer, nothing would change.

In short, Democrats didn’t need to pass a law to radically codify abortion in Colorado, making it explicitly legal with virtually no limits. In fact, what we have in Colorado is the precise inverse of what pro-choice activists fear in other states – a complete ban on abortion. Only in Colorado’s case, innocent unborn babies can have their lives severed all the way until birth.

That is the definition of extreme.

The June 6 letter – signed by Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila and Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodriguez, Pueblo Bishop Stephen Berg and Colorado Springs Bishop James Golka – strongly condemns RHEA with this in mind.

The Catholic Church is always extraordinarily clear in its teaching on life. Moreover, not only does the Church oppose abortion to protect life; it is literally the leading institution, through Catholic Charities, for actively supporting life outside of the womb. No nongovernmental organization in the state or the country – if not the world – provides more services to mothers after an unexpected pregnancy than the Catholic Church and its charitable programs. In Colorado, Marisol Services is one of those vehicles.

In 2020, the Catholic Church resoundingly supported Proposition 115, which took a realistic, measured and balanced approach to protecting the unborn by prohibiting abortion after 22 weeks gestational age. It included exceptions for the life of the mother or if her life is “threatened by a physical disorder, physical illness, or physical injury.”

It was far from extreme.

So, when Catholic bishops advocated for life, they do so in words and in deeds. Even so, the push-back from Catholic Democrats who supported RHEA was fierce.

“I would invite them to read the language of the bill that affirms that decision that should be free from government interference,” State Sen. Julie Gonzales told Colorado Politics.

“I think that church leadership has strayed too far from its principles around Catholic social teaching,” she added. “This type of politicization of the pulpit is disheartening and out of line with where most Colorado Catholics find themselves.” To that end, Gonzales called Church leaders “out of touch” with their congregations.

How did Gonzales miss the part where her Church opposes the notion that abortion should at all stages “be free from government interference?” As a Catholic myself, it is quite stunning to hear a Catholic legislator pronounce that she understands Catholic social teaching better than her Archbishop – and on an issue of great moral import (life) that the Church has never been shy about. The real surprise would be if they were silent on RHEA.

“(I)t became clear by their public votes (on RHEA) that several Catholic lawmakers support ending the lives of unborn children and declaring that a ‘fertilized egg, embryo or fetus’ has no ‘independent or derivative rights’ in Colorado,” the bishops wrote, quoting the language of the bill. “These preborn babies are worth less than those who have had the gift of being born, according to this morally bankrupt logic.”

Is the goal of the Catholic Church to simply abide certain public opinions, or is it to lead on significant moral questions? In this case, the bishops argue that a “mortal sin” is implicated here, and elected leaders must be held to a high standard.

“A Catholic politician or public figure leading or encouraging others to do evil is a failure to respect the souls of others and is what the church defines as ‘scandal,'” the bishops added. “Until public repentance takes place and sacramental absolution is received in Confession, we ask that those Catholic legislators who live or worship in Colorado and who have voted for RHEA, to voluntarily refrain from receiving Holy Communion.”

The Church leaders aren’t barring legislators from receiving Communion; rather, they called upon those legislators to personally refrain from it. “It rests upon the consciences and souls of those politicians who have chosen to support this evil and unjust law.”

The problem for Catholic Democrats who voted for RHEA is not that the Church disagrees with them. It’s that they’ve established a law so radical and extreme that the bishops felt a public rebuke was necessary.

Jimmy Sengenberger is host of “The Jimmy Sengenberger Show” Saturdays from 6-9am on News/Talk 710 KNUS. He also hosts “Jimmy at the Crossroads,” a webshow and podcast in partnership with The Washington Examiner.