Editorial

An urgent call to protect the unborn, and to care for mothers and families in need

It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned decisions which allowed abortion on demand in our country for nearly 50 years.

On June 24, 2022, the court issued its historic decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which involved a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks, in which the state directly challenged the high court’s previous abortion-related precedents in Roe v. Wade (1973) and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (1992). In Dobbs, the court ultimately overturned its own prior rulings, undoing nearly a half-century of its own precedent on the issue and returning the regulation of abortion to state legislatures.

But our work is far from over to protect every unborn child conceived in its mother’s womb.

Reflecting on the anniversary of the 2022 court decision, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Va., chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities, said, “It is a day for thanksgiving to God for answering our prayers and blessing the many years of hard work. This anniversary calls us to reflect on where we have been and where we are going. The reversal of Roe v. Wade brought new opportunities to protect innocent human life. While some states have done this, others have enacted extreme abortion policies. Children have been left vulnerable to abortion until the moment of birth. Kansas, Michigan and Ohio drastically expanded access to abortion.”

States including Maryland and Florida have ongoing efforts to enshrine abortion protections in their state constitutions on the ballot. Other states are following suit seeking to support abortion initiatives this November.

Beyond the states working to strengthen abortion protections, others in society—including some members of Congress and the current administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris—are working hard to again make sure abortion is as accessible as it was when Roe was the law of the land. We need to continue to pray for the conversion of their hearts, reminding them that God calls each of us to protect all human life—from conception to natural death.

“… Congress has been promoting many pro-abortion policies while largely ignoring our calls to prioritize maternal health and support for children and families in need,” Bishop Burbidge said in his statement. “In the spirit of faithful citizenship, I urge Catholics to engage their elected officials on all issues endangering life.”

Engaging elected officials and educating our brothers and sisters in Christ about the horrors of abortion and its aftermath must be at the heart of our message and mission as we continue our support for the unborn.

Jeanne Mancini, president of the March for Life organization, told OSV News in a recent article that after Dobbs, there was “so much confusion about what that means and anger and frustration from people who are confused about the inherent dignity of the unborn child and how abortion impacts women. So, I think that we’re still very much in the middle of that reverberation.”

When discussing abortion policy, Mancini said, pro-life advocates should strive “to get very clear” on the specific state, law or situations involved “because there’s a lot of misinformation out there right now.”

As reported in OSV News, in the years following the Dobbs decision, some women in states that restricted abortion said they were denied timely care for miscarriages or ectopic pregnancies or experienced other adverse pregnancy outcomes as a result of medical professionals’ hesitation due to unclear abortion legislation. But pro-life activists said laws restricting abortion contained exceptions for such circumstances. Their opponents claimed bill texts insufficiently addressed those circumstances or lacked clarity on exceptions. We must call on all who write these proposals to make sure they clearly state what exceptions exist for each piece of legislation.

Bishop Burbidge said the ongoing National Eucharistic Revival and the upcoming National Eucharistic Congress on July 17-21 in Indianapolis are opportune times for the Holy Spirit to inspire our efforts. “Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist has the power to transform our own hearts and the heart of our culture. … Strengthened by our eucharistic Lord, each of us must rededicate ourselves to serving the cause of life.”

He continued, “May our Catholic parishes continue to welcome, embrace and accompany women facing unexpected or challenging pregnancies, offering material, emotional and spiritual support. I extend my heartfelt gratitude to the countless individual Catholics who have dedicated themselves to parish and community initiatives, like Walking with Moms in Need. May we never tire of sharing Christ’s message of mercy with all who are suffering in the aftermath of an abortion.”

Please Lord, let us continue to be strong in our battle protecting the unborn and let you light overwhelm this darkness. May it be so.

—Mike Krokos