July 3, 2022 - "June 24 Supreme Court Ruling"

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.  In response to this ruling Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued the following statement:
 
This is a historic day in the life of our country, one that stirs our thoughts, emotions and prayers.  For nearly fifty years, America has enforced an unjust law that has permitted some to decide whether others can live or die; this policy has resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of preborn children, generations that were denied the right even to be born.
 
“America was founded on the truth that all men and women are created equal, with God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  This truth was grievously denied by the U. S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized and normalized the taking of innocent human life. We thank God today that the Court has now overturned this decision.  We pray that our elected officials will now enact laws and policies and protect the most vulnerable among us.
 
“Our first thoughts are with the little ones whose lives have been taken since 1973. We mourn their loss, and we entrust  their souls to God, who loved them from before all ages and who will love them for all eternity.  Our hearts are also with every woman and man who suffered grievously from abortion; we pray for their healing, and we pledge our continued compassion and support. As a Church, we need to serve those who face difficult pregnancies and surround them with love.
 
“Today’s decision is also the fruit of the prayers, sacrifices, and advocacy of countless ordinary Americans from every walk of life.  Over these long years, millions of our fellow citizens have worked together peacefully to educate and to persuade their neighbors about the injustice of abortion, to offer care and counseling to women, and to work for alternatives to abortion, including adoption, foster care, and public policies that truly support families.  We share their joy today and we are grateful to them.  Their work for the cause of life reflects all that is good in our democracy, and the pro-life movement deserves to be numbered among the great movements for social change and civil rights in our nation’s history.
 
“Now is the time to begin the work of building a post-Roe America.  It is a time for healing wounds and repairing social divisions; it is a time for reasoned reflection and civil dialogue, and for coming together to build a society that supports marriages and families, and where every woman has the support and resources she needs to bring her child into this world in love.

“As religious leaders, we pledge ourselves to continue our service to God’s great plan of love for the human person, and to work with our fellow citizens to fulfill America’s promise to guarantee the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people.”
 
In conclusion, let me add to the USCCB statement the following remarks that Cardinal Gregory made on June 24, 2022 on the Supreme Court issuing its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization:
 
“We rejoice in this latest step in our journey, but our work is not done.  Locally and nationally, we still have more to do to advance the dignity of human life and to make sure that the full range of life issues are adequately addressed.  This includes supporting pregnant women in making life-affirming choices, providing better availability of prenatal and postnatal care for children and their mothers, advocating for affordable child care and safe schools, and advancing policies that support mothers in school and in the workforce. 
 
“We must also recognize that a life-affirming ethic should also draw attention to a host of other areas that should be of great concern to humanity.  This includes revoking the death penalty and caring for the imprisoned; addressing all forms of injustice, including racism; caring for the poor, the sick, elderly, and vulnerable; and advancing a greater recognition of our calling in the entire spectrum of human relationships to be brothers and sisters to one another.”
 
Until next week,
Fr. John