The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has scuttled plans to discuss abortion and politics next week in Baltimore, according to spokeswoman Sister Mary Ann Walsh.

In September, after high-profile Catholic politicians challenged church teaching on abortion, the bishops announced that they “plan to discuss the practical and pastoral implications of these serious matters at the U.S. bishops’ Nov. 10-13, 2008 general meeting in Baltimore.”

See bishops’ September statement on their plans here.

That statement followed remarks by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and then-Sen. Joe Biden that questioned the church’s longstanding opposition to abortion. With President-elect Barack Obama’s election on Tuesday, Biden, his running mate, will become the nation’s first Catholic vice president.

Walsh said the bishops’ discussion has been removed from the agenda as of late Friday. The agenda will not be finalized until Saturday afternoon, Walsh added.

“I think this is something that has evolved since September,” Walsh said. “Many bishops have already addressed the issue (of pro-abortion rights politicians) through pastoral letters, so there’s not the same need they saw in September.”

As of earlier this week, at least two bishops said they planned to discuss the matter in Baltimore.

It’s possible that the bishops will discuss the matter in closed-door sessions, but it’s rare for the bishops, or any religious body, to issue a press release about private discussions.

A report on “Forming Consciences for Faithful Citizenship,” moral guidelines for Catholic voters the bishops produced in 2007, will likely be issued at the bishops’ Baltimore meeting, Walsh said.