Diocese of Fort Worth presses FedEx on shipping abortion pills

The Diocese of Fort Worth sponsored a shareholder proposal at the FedEx annual meeting on Sept. 28 asking the company to analyze the legal, regulatory, and reputational risks of shipping the abortion pill mifepristone into states where abortion is illegal.

Bishop Michael Olson requested that other Catholic bishops vote for the proposal if their dioceses own shares in the company. He noted that the move follows the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Socially Responsible Investment Guidelines and serves to promote a culture of life. Olson stated that the proposal highlights risks to shareholders if the Comstock Act is enforced.

The proposal asked the FedEx board to report within one year on how it oversees the risks of transporting mail-order abortion drugs, but it did not ask the company to stop shipping the medication. The board opposed the proposal, and final votes had not been tallied when the diocese spoke with EWTN News.