On June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States issued a landmark ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overturning Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey thus returning this issue to the individual states. In response, the bishops of Louisiana issued the following statement:

We give thanks to God that the injustice of abortion on demand has come to an end, and that we as a society will have the opportunity to save more innocent unborn lives. The people of God must stand ready to support mothers in need and their babies. We must do what we can to advocate for medical care and resources for mothers and their families.

For decades the LCCB has supported pro-life legislation and most recently legislation which provides workplace protections for women who are pregnant or nursing and extension of Medicaid coverage for the 12 months post-partum.

We must also support businesses that put women and families first in their practices. We must provide real resources for vulnerable women in unplanned pregnancies and encourage families to support their daughters and sons when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

Perhaps more importantly, we must do more to change the hearts and minds of people when it comes to the dignity of all human life. We must form our young people in the truth of Christ and natural law about the right to life. We must teach our young women and men respect for themselves and their full and authentic femininity and masculinity. We must be consistent in our ethics regarding life from the womb to the sick and elderly to the prisoner.

As Catholics we must unequivocally stand for the dignity and respect for all human life from conception to natural death. Our Christian values, not to mention human decency, prompt us to act civilly and protect human life both born and unborn.