Richard J. “Dick” Durbin, born in 1944 in East St. Louis, has been one of the Democratic Party’s most influential senators over the last few decades. Since 1997, he has represented Illinois in the Senate and has held key positions such as whip of the Democratic majority and minority. However, despite declaring himself Catholic and maintaining ties with Church institutions, his name is marked by contradiction as a staunch defender of «women’s reproductive rights.»
From Opponent of Abortion to Its Main Defender in the Senate
In the 1980s, Durbin presented himself as opposed to «on-demand» abortion and even called for overturning Roe v. Wade. But his rhetoric changed upon arriving in the Senate. Today, he is one of the firmest spokespersons for the abortion agenda in the United States.
In January 2024, on the 51st anniversary of Roe v. Wade, he declared:
On the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade case, I maintain my commitment to protecting a woman’s right to decide. No woman should have a politician or judge dictating when and with whom to have a baby, and no woman should risk her health or life due to draconian abortion bans.
That same day, he demanded the passage of the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA) to “enact the right to choice into federal law”. A year later, on the third anniversary of Dobbs, he insisted again:
More than 28 million women live in states where abortion is banned, unavailable, or restricted. In the wake of the Dobbs decision, we must pass the Women’s Health Protection Act to enshrine a woman’s right to choose in federal law and ensure that all women have access to reproductive care.
Rejection of Protecting Babies Who Survive an Abortion
Durbin has also been a fierce opponent of laws aimed at saving lives after a failed abortion. In January 2025, when voting against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, he stated:
I just voted against the Senate’s inaugural debate on the so-called and unnecessary “Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act.” Any child born in the United States, regardless of the circumstances, already has equal protection under the law.
Defense of the Abortion Pill
When federal judges questioned the approval of mifepristone, in March 2024, Durbin came to the defense of the abortion pill:
Today is the final test to protect women’s health. At this moment, the Supreme Court is hearing oral arguments in a case that will determine whether women will be able to access medications used for early-stage abortions and miscarriages, and in what manner. Mifepristone must be accessible.
With these words, among others, he consolidated his profile as one of the senators most aligned with the abortion industry, with perfect ratings from NARAL and Planned Parenthood.
The Church Excommunicates Him
The Diocese of Springfield decided in 2004 that Durbin should be excommunicated. Bishop Thomas Paprocki ratified that measure in 2018, recalling the canonical teaching not to admit those who publicly promote laws contrary to life. In an interview with America Magazine in 2021, the senator acknowledged: “I am careful when I go to a church”, and explained that he had found in Chicago “a new house of faith” where he was welcomed by Cardinal Blase Cupich.
Another Face: The “Senator of Immigrants”
While defending abortion without reservations, Durbin has also become a reference for the immigration agenda. He was the author of the DREAM Act and a member of the “Gang of Eight” that in 2013 pushed for comprehensive reform approved in the Senate. That work has earned him recognitions from civil organizations and some ecclesial sectors. Precisely for this reason, Cardinal Cupich had announced an award in his honor, although the decision generated controversy among bishops and pro-life faithful.
Retirement from Politics
On April 23, 2025, Durbin announced that he will not seek reelection in 2026. “In my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch”, he said in his message. He will thus conclude a career of more than 40 years in Congress, marked by a central contradiction: a Catholic senator who made abortion an untouchable right and who, because of it, remains separated from the Church’s sacraments.