Jen Psaki dodges question on whether Biden thinks 15-week-old unborn baby is a person

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Catholic bishops advance effort to deny Biden communion

Former Priest Jonathan Morris explains why the president and other politician's views on abortion could affect standing in the Catholic church

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki declined to say if President Biden believes a 15-week-old unborn baby is a human being during Monday's press briefing.

"Does the president believe that a 15-week-old unborn baby is a human being?" a reporter asked Psaki.

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"Are you asking me if the president supports a woman's right to choose? He does," Psaki said.

Psaki's response came after the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops voted overwhelmingly to draft a formal document on the meaning of the Eucharist after a contentious debate on whether Biden and other politicians who support abortion policies are worthy of receiving Communion at Mass. 

President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden speak with a priest as they depart after Mass at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Catholic Church, Saturday, June 19, 2021, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Psaki was asked about Biden's reaction to the news on Monday.

"Joe Biden is a strong man of faith," Psaki said.

"The president's faith is personal. It's something that has helped guide him through some challenging moments in his life. And that's how many Americans see their faith as well, not through a political prism. So I would suspect he will continue to attend church, as he has for many, many years," she continued.

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Biden, who attends Mass regularly, has previously said he personally opposes abortion but doesn't think he should impose that position on Americans who feel otherwise. He's taken several executive actions during his presidency that were hailed by abortion rights advocates.

Asked about the Catholic bishops' move on Friday and whether he would be denied Communion, Biden said: "That's a private matter and I don't think that's going to happen."

Some bishops believe Biden forced their hand on making a decision and the church's credibility was on the line if they didn't move forward with a document reaffirming core Catholic values. 

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"It's not the bishops who have brought us to this point — it's some of our public officials," Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City, Kansas said last week. "This is a Catholic president doing the most aggressive things we’ve ever seen on life at its most innocent."

Fox News' Marisa Schultz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.