Church teaching on life & human dignity
In God’s eyes, all human life is sacred. God has a plan for every person – every mother, and every pre-born child.
- Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization gives the Supreme Court an opportunity to undo the grave injustice of 1973, when Roe v. Wade decided that a whole class of human beings, the preborn, are outside the protection of the law. Since that decision, more than 60 million innocent lives have been taken. If Roe is overturned, states will again be able to protect the lives of preborn children, and in doing so, also protect millions of women from the tragic consequences of abortion.
- Through the years, the Church in the United States has developed many ministries to serve expectant mothers who face difficult pregnancies and those who find it difficult to care for their children after they are born.
- Over 150,000 low-income women deliver their babies at Catholic hospitals each year.
- Church ministries like Catholic Charities serve women and their children long after they are born, offering comprehensive social services to those in need.
- The Sisters of Life are a growing religious community of women who, by their way of life, bear witness to the beauty and dignity of every human life. The Sisters welcome pregnant women into their homes and provide lifechanging material and spiritual resources to women in crisis.
- Another rapidly growing initiative is “Walking with Moms in Need,” sponsored by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. This parish-based process helps parishioners connect with local mothers facing difficult or challenging pregnancies, identifying local resources and filling the gaps so that pregnant and parenting women receive the material, spiritual, and emotional support they need.
Prayer
One way everyone can support the unborn, women and families is through prayer. The U.S. bishops have called Jan. 22 a Day of Prayer for the Legal Protection of the Unborn, though we can pray anytime, any day.