Good Catholics : the battle over abortion in the Catholic Church / Patricia Miller.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 317-320) and index.

The four wise women -- The dread secret -- Pope Patricia -- Coming of age -- The cardinal of choice -- The Bishops' lobby -- Showdown at Cairo -- Matters of conscience -- Playing politics -- Health care and politics redux.

" ... Tells the story of the remarkable individuals who have engaged in a nearly fifty-year struggle to assert the moral legitimacy of a pro-choice position in the Catholic Church, as well as the concurrent efforts of the Catholic hierarchy to suppress abortion dissent and to translate Catholic doctrine on sexuality into law. Miller recounts a dramatic but largely untold history of protest and persecution, which demonstrates the profound and surprising influence that the conflict over abortion in the Catholic Church has had not only on the church but also on the very fabric of U.S. politics. Good Catholics addresses many of today's hot-button questions about the separation of church and state, including what concessions society should make in public policy to matters of religious doctrine, such as the Catholic ban on contraception."--Publisher's description.