Crisis in the Parish?

This chapter focuses on the perspectives of Catholics who live in close proximity to clinics where anti-abortion activism occurs. We examine their experiences and how the activism has impacted their faith lives. We start by looking more in depth into the meaning of a parish, to then examine data generated from parishes experiencing acute conflict over abortion, analysing the impact on community dynamics and implications for those with a connection to the Catholic Church. The second part of the chapter will then consider the bigger picture regarding how the issue of abortion sits in relation to other issues facing the Church, such as conflicts between liberal and conservative factions, and broader dynamics regarding sexuality and the body. Abortion is one issue among many that Catholic parishioners are managing. Theoretically, we also develop the idea of contextual lived religion, forged in context and relationally.