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WASHINGTON (OSV News) -- Ahead of the June 24 anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, the U.S. bishops’ pro-life chairman called on Catholics to advocate for greater protections for preborn children.

Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, Ohio, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities, urged the faithful “to engage their elected officials on all issues that threaten the gift of human life, in particular the threat of abortion.”

In its June 24, 2022, ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade decision issued Jan. 22, 1973, which had legalized abortion in all 50 states. With Dobbs, the high court returned the issue of abortion to the states.

With Dobbs, the court ended nearly 50 years “of virtually unlimited, nationwide abortion,” Bishop Thomas said in a June 16 statement.

“Hope had never been lost in God's power to right that wrong and accomplish what the world believed to be impossible,” he said. “During this Jubilee Year of Hope, we are called to reflect more deeply on the enduring hope that has been won for us through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

“The Dobbs decision not only gave states the freedom to protect preborn children but also paved the way for pro-life victories nationally,” Bishop Thomas continued. “The federal government is now closer than ever to defunding Planned Parenthood and other organizations whose abortion profiteering harms women and babies.”

However, “despite the good that Dobbs decision accomplished, the battle for life is far from over,” he said. “We know that several states have enacted extreme pro-abortion policies, overriding existing pro-life safeguards, with some states leaving children vulnerable to abortion even up to birth.”

In confronting today’s challenges, “let us find hope anew in this Jubilee Year and be strengthened in our resolve to serve the cause of life,” the bishop said.

“May our Catholic parishes continue to welcome, embrace and accompany women facing unexpected or challenging pregnancies through initiatives like Walking with Moms in Need,” Bishop Thomas added. “And may we never tire of sharing Christ’s message of mercy with all who are suffering in the aftermath of an abortion through ministries like Project Rachel.”

Walking With Moms in Need was launched in 2020 by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington.

The nationwide, parish-based initiative aims to increase support for pregnant and parenting mothers in need. “It works to ensure that any woman who finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, or parenting in difficult circumstances, can turn to her local Catholic Church and be connected with the resources she needs,” its website says. “Volunteers walk with moms throughout the motherhood journey, offering them authentic Christian friendship and ongoing support.”

Project Rachel is described as “a ministry of the Catholic Church in the U.S. to those who have been involved in abortion” on its website. “It is a diocesan-based network of specially trained priests, religious, counselors, and laypersons who provide a team response of care for those suffering in the aftermath of abortion,” it states.

“Even amidst the increasing attacks on human life, we know that the ‘storms that buffet us will never prevail, for we are firmly anchored in the hope born of grace, which enables us to live in Christ and to overcome sin, fear and death,’” Bishop Thomas said, quoting from Pope Francis’ document establishing the 2025 Jubilee Year.

“As we move forward in hope, may we be united in our efforts to protect God's gift of life, in every stage and circumstance,” he added.

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