The Catholic Bishops of New York issued a statement Friday on the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, declaring that the historic ruling “will save countless innocent children simply waiting to be born.”
“We give thanks to God for today’s decision of the United States Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,” reads the statement, signed by Cardinal Timothy Dolan and seven of his brother bishops from New York state.
In their statement, the bishops express their gratitude to “the millions of heroic Americans who have worked tirelessly toward this outcome for nearly a half-century” and who have been “a charitable and compelling voice for the voiceless.”
“With the entire pro-life community, we are overjoyed with this outcome of the Court,” the bishops said while calling on the pro-life community to be charitable to those who do not share their convictions, “even as we celebrate an important historical moment and an answer to a prayer.”
Cardinal Timothy Dolan celebrates Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral on June 28, 2020, in New York City. (Photo by Jeenah Moon/Getty Images)
The bishops also note that the culture “remains deeply divided on the issue,” and much more work needs to be done to win over the hearts and minds of all Americans in defense of life.
“To change the culture and build a culture of life, we need to enact family-friendly policies that welcome children, support mothers, cherish families and empower them to thrive,” the statement reads.
Building a culture of life means that all of us “need to respect the dignity and sanctity of human life in everything we do: in how we treat our children, spouses and parents; in the way we behave in our place of work; in sum, how we live Jesus’ two great commandments to love God and love our neighbor,” they state.
“Love, charity and reverence for human life from the moment of conception through natural death – these will build and sustain a culture of life,” they add.
“Millions of Americans have worked tirelessly for almost 50 years towards this outcome. We thank them with every fiber of our being. Their vital work continues, and we commit ourselves to it,” they conclude.
