BY THE MESSAGE STAFF
June 24 marks the first anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which had legalized abortion-on-demand across the U.S. Since the Dobbs ruling, a number of states have enacted legislation to further defend life, especially for the most innocent - the unborn.
In a statement on the anniversary, Bishop Michael F. Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Pro-Life Activities, noted that, while the first anniversary of the Dobbs decision is a day for continued joy and gratitude, the Dobbs decision effectively marked the beginning of a critical new phase in efforts to protect human life.
Bishop Burbidge said, “Over the past year, while some states have acted to protect preborn children, others have tragically moved to enshrine abortion in law - enacting extreme abortion policies that leave children vulnerable to abortion, even until the moment of birth.”
Bishop Burbidge added that the work ahead involves not just changing laws, but helping to change hearts. He said, “The task before us begins with our knowledge of the truth and our courage to speak it and to live it with compassion.”
Bishop Joseph M. Siegel of Evansville said, “As we observe the first anniversary of the Dobbs decision, we are thankful for the many state legislatures, like our own, that have worked to defend in law the rights of the unborn and their mothers. We continue to hope and pray that the pro-life efforts of our Indiana legislators will be confirmed by our Supreme Court justices. While much has been accomplished this past year, we will continue to work in the Diocese of Evansville and across Indiana to build a culture of life and to promote the God-given dignity of every human person from conception to natural death.”
Bishop Burbidge concluded his statement by saying, “May all people of good faith and good will work together to proclaim that human life is a precious gift from God; that each person who receives this gift has responsibilities toward God, self and others; and that society, through its laws and social institutions, must protect and nurture human life at every stage of its existence.