Catholics are demanding that Holy Communion be denied to Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, a self-professed Catholic, after she signed a law allowing abortions up to birth.

Healey signed the radical abortions up to birth measure on Monday. The legislation removes prior legal limits on abortions after 24 weeks of pregnancy, permitting the killing of babies before birth at any time.

The demand surged on social media Wednesday when Catholic journalist Sachin Jose wrote: "Catholics are demanding that Holy Communion be denied to self-professed Catholic Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey after she signed a law allowing abortion up to birth."

Replies quickly amplified the call.

One user responded, "Not only denial of Holy Communion, she needs to be excommunicated from the Church." Another added, "No communion? How about excommunication?"

After the signing ceremony, Bishop Robert Barron condemned Healey’s actions.

"The governor of Massachusetts just signed into law a statute that permits abortion up until the moment of birth, as long as mother and doctor give the go-ahead," he said. "Please understand what this means. A fully-formed child, moments before exiting the birth canal, can be eviscerated, chopped into pieces, have its head crushed or skin burned off—all under the full protection of Massachusetts law."

"What I found particularly gross was the reaction of the entirely female crowd around the female governor of Massachusetts as she signed this barbaric provision into law. They were clapping and cackling with delight because what can only be called infanticide can now be practiced with impunity in their state," he added.

"I’m old enough to remember when Mario Cuomo, the devoutly Catholic governor of New York, admitted that, though he found abortion personally repugnant, he was, after tortured wrestling with his conscience, willing to give it limited protection of law," Barron continued. "How far we have fallen from agonized and conflicted Cuomo to the present governor of Massachusetts and her entourage gleefully applauding the murder of children."

The state’s Catholic bishops had already condemned the measure in the strongest terms.

In a July 29 joint statement, Archbishop Richard G. Henning of Boston, Bishop Robert J. McManus of Worcester, Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha of Fall River and Bishop William D. Byrne of Springfield declared: "As Catholic bishops we have a moral responsibility to present and uphold Catholic teaching and the sacred God-given dignity of every human life from conception to the natural death."

"The proposed elimination of any legal restraint on late-term abortion is, in our judgement, a radical measure which is gravely immoral," the bishops wrote. "Life is beautiful! We invite the Catholic community to pray for a renewal of reverence for all human life."

For many faithful Catholics, a public official who advances what the bishops labeled a "gravely immoral" expansion of abortion has placed herself in public, obstinate grave sin. Under longstanding Church teaching, such a person should not approach the Eucharist.

Healey has repeatedly described herself as Catholic while championing unrestricted abortion.