Second, these Catholics are providing substantial assistance for women to obtain abortions by influencing public policy to make abortions legal, and to keep abortions legal, and to broaden access to abortion. Those who provide such substantial assistance commit a mortal sin and incur a sentence of automatic excommunication (canon 1398).
This is what I was taught and in contrast to what sinkspur has said in this thread, substantial assistance is not to be so narrowly interpreted as merely being a doctor or nurse associated with a particular procedure.
Thank you Fred. I do not like playing Devil's advocate, and I am glad to be soundly defeated.
(No. No sarcasm.)