BALTIMORE  The nation's Catholic bishops are expected to issue a statement Wednesday pledging cooperation with president-elect Barack Obama on numerous social issues but vowing all-out opposition to any law or executive order he may sign advocating abortion rights.

Bishops lined up by the dozens Tuesday to add increasingly harsh language to a preliminary draft of the statement, to be crafted and signed by Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

They expressed dismay that the 2008 election, decided in their view on the economy, could be read as well as signifying a tacit approval of Obama's support for abortion rights.

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Their top concern was that Obama had said during the campaign he would sign a Freedom of Choice Act if it passed Congress.

To Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago Thomas Paprocki, that would precipitate a cascade of disasters: It would "nullify all conscience laws" allowing doctors, nurses and others to object to abortion, and would require abortions to be performed by all hospitals — which could lead to ending obstetrics services in all Catholic hospitals, even to closing the hospitals entirely. To sell a Catholic hospital to someone who provided abortions would also be "morally unacceptable," he said.

"I don't think I am being alarmist," Paprocki concluded.

The initial draft of the bishops' statement expressed a "desire to work with the administration" on social issues such as immigration, economic justice and health care for the poor, highlighting that, "the Church is intent on doing good."

However, "the Church is also intent on opposing evil," says the next line.

The draft hammered against abortion, saying in part:

"The common good of our country is assured only when the life of every unborn child is legally protected. Aggressively pro-abortion policies and legislation will permanently alienate tens of millions of Americans and would be interpreted by many Catholics as an attack on the Church."

Bishop Samuel Aquila of Fargo, N.D., suggested adding the First Amendment of the Constitution because "the free exercise of religion is what will be under attack."

Bishop R. Daniel Conlon of Steubenville, Ohio, drew applause when he said, "We are dealing here with an absolute. There is nothing here that will allow a compromise."

"Any one of us here would consider it a privilege to die tomorrow — die tomorrow! — to bring about the end of abortion," said Auxiliary Bishop Robert Hermann of St. Louis.

Even the phrase "common good" didn't find common acceptance.

Bishop Joseph Martino of Scranton, Pa., complained that abortion rights advocates, including a group he mocked as "Catholics for Alliance for the so-called Common Good" have drained away all proper understanding of the phrase, making it one about material wealth, not spiritual rightness.

"Don't let people think common good is a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage," said Martino.

But Martino was chiefly determined to blast politicians who are "stridently anti-life.

Although the session was billed as a discussion on "Catholic Teaching and Political Life," it focused entirely on the bishops' effort to reclaim influence in the wider public square among all Catholics.

Martino, from vice president elect Joe Biden's home town, insisted, "I cannot have the vice president coming to Scranton and saying he learned his values there when those values are utterly against those of the Catholic Church."

Cardinal Edward Egan, Archbishop of New York, asked George to "speak clearly and with a punch" so the statement's message won't be lost in the noise of the public square.

George, who will write the final draft, told the bishops, "we haven't succeeded" in past efforts, so new language, stressing mutual responsibility, accountability and community, is needed to connect with the Catholic audience.

They're speaking to everyone, he said, but it is "Catholics who are under our authority — the word that sends everyone up the wall."