The Catholic Church in the United States observes October as “Respect Life Month.”
This year, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities invites Catholics to “practice radical solidarity and unconditional love” for pregnant and parenting mothers.
The Supreme Court’s June decision in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health case returned the responsibility of limiting abortion from the judiciary to the legislature. For those who have prayed for this moment to arrive, Archbishop Lori said, “It is the time for a renewal and rededication of our efforts to build a culture of life and civilization of love.” He explained, “Justice requires that the basic protections of the law against violence be extended to the preborn child” while explaining that building “a world in which all are welcome requires not only justice, but compassion, healing, and above all, unconditional love.”
Moving from law to culture, Archbishop Lori asked Catholics to “shift the paradigm to what St. Pope John Paul II described as ‘radical solidarity,’ making the good of others our own good, including especially mothers, babies (born and unborn), and families throughout the entire human lifespan.” He reminded the faithful “Our Church understands that parents, children and families need help not just during pregnancy, but throughout the whole of life’s journey because millions of Catholics already accompany their neighbors in such circumstances.”
Read Archbishop Lori’s full statement, “Building a Culture of Life in a Post-Roe World” here.