Mother Teresa's 1994 Prayer Breakfast Speech Condemned Abortion Before the Clintons
At the 1994 National Prayer Breakfast, Mother Teresa denounced abortion, directly challenging President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton.
On February 3, 1994, Mother Teresa addressed the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C., before an audience of roughly 3,000, including President Bill Clinton, First Lady Hillary Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and Tipper Gore. Drawing on Matthew 25:40, she warned that abortion was the greatest destroyer of peace, calling it a direct killing of innocent children. She argued that accepting abortion undermines societal love and responsibility, urging adoption as an alternative.
While the crowd rose for a prolonged standing ovation, the Clintons and the Gores stayed seated, according to reports. In her memoir, Hillary Clinton recalled the nun’s blunt opposition to her pro-choice views. The episode illustrates the tension between Catholic doctrine and U.S. political leadership on reproductive rights.
Why it matters
The speech shows a rare public clash between a revered religious figure and U.S. leaders over abortion policy.
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