U.S. Bishops Celebrate First Anniversary of Roe v. Wade Demise

Pro-life activists protest in front of the White House on January 21, 2014 in Washington, DC. Pro-life activists gather each year to protest on the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. AFP PHOTO/Jewel SAMAD (Photo credit should read JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images)
JEWEL SAMAD/AFP/Getty Images

The U.S. Bishops have issued a statement celebrating the first anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision overturning Roe v. Wade.

We have “much to celebrate,” writes Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge, chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities. “By the grace of God, the nearly fifty-year reign of national abortion on demand has been put to an end.”

Roe v. Wade — a seemingly insurmountable blight on our nation — is no more!” he adds.

On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which reversed the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in all 50 states.

According to Bishop Burbidge, the Dobbs decision marked the beginning of “a critical new phase in protecting human life.”

In his statement, the bishop noted that states’ actions following the ruling has been a mixed bag, with some states acting to protect preborn children, and others have tragically moving “to enshrine abortion in law — enacting extreme abortion policies that leave children vulnerable to abortion, even until the moment of birth.”

Burbidge said that the work that lies ahead is not just about changing laws but also changing hearts, “with steadfast faith in the power of God to do so.”

“The task before us begins with the knowledge of the truth and our courage to speak it and to live it with compassion,” he said, noting that we are each called to “radical solidarity” with women facing an unexpected or challenging pregnancy and “doing whatever we can to provide them with the care and support they need to welcome their children.”

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