Roe v. Wade has been consigned to the dumpster fire of history – and it’s a new day for America.
As the “summer of rage” commences, Catholics have a role to play in our new, post-Roe world. And we are vital to helping our nation recover from its nearly 50-year-long genocide against the unborn.
Here are five ways Catholics can help to heal, rebuild, and inspire our fellow Americans to defend all human life from conception to natural death.
Let’s do this.
Education
Pro-life Catholics have the upper hand here, because the Left’s arguments stem from emotion and askew science or reason. America needs more Catholics who can help educate the public about what abortion is and offer a better, true understanding of the value of human life.
We must educate ourselves, our families, and our parishes about the strongest pro-abortion arguments – and learn how to respond with truth, fortitude, and charity.
Here are a few resources:
- Read up on your pro-life arguments with articles like CatholicVote’s “6 Pro-Roe Arguments and How to Refute Them”!
- One of loudest claims from the Left is that overthrowing Roe v. Wade will establish a “theocracy” – like in The Handmaid’s Tale. It won’t, and here’s why.
- While you’re at the natural law angle, add in some quick education on the history of American abortion law as well. After all, Roe v. Wade failed because it was fundamentally bad law.
Change the Laws
In the most pro-life states, Dobbs changes everything as abortion bans automatically kick in if Roe is overturned and legislation protecting unborn life gains its rightful authority. All Americans of good can rejoice and focus their efforts on supporting women and their children from the moment of conception until natural death.
In other states, on the other hand, Dobbs changes nothing for women and unborn children. Many states have enshrined an unlimited abortion license into their constitutions. Catholics in these states must continue to strive to change the laws – and the hearts of their fellow citizens – until abortion becomes unthinkable.
Find out which states are the most pro-life … and pro-abortion. And support candidates, non-profits, and Catholics who are fighting to ban abortion in all 50 states.
Care for the Mothers
No matter where you live, now is the time to redouble our support for women facing unplanned pregnancies.
One of the pro-abortion movement’s angriest accusations is that Catholics “are only pro-birth, not pro-child.” Pro-lifers should keep a ready list of local support services constantly in their phones, wallets, and cars in order to be able to help expectant women they encounter and thus disprove this charge with real, local data about trusted resources in their area.
Searchable databases of these resources can be found here, here, and here, to list only a few.
If anyone tells you women should have unlimited license to abort their children because they don’t know about other options, your best (and most obvious) response is to give them an easily accessible list of better options.
Post-Abortion Care
One of the most heartbreaking sights during the public debate over Dobbs is the number of women “celebrating” their abortions. The truth is that 1 in 4 American women will have an abortion by their 45th birthday.
Studies have also indicated stunningly high suicide death rates in women following induced abortions.
They need our prayers and real support as they work through what they’ve done or, in many cases, what they were forced to do.
Catholics have been on the front lines of post-abortion care and counseling. Check out (and support!) groups like:
The Sisters of Life: Healing After Abortion
Abortion Changes You (Map of Support Services)
Prayer
Our nation has come through arguably the most shameful period in its history. 65 million children were slaughtered before birth. Millions more of their parents, siblings, and grandparents have been permanently scarred.
The abortion license is a spiritual cancer that is still eating away at souls.
Catholics must pray. We should continue to pray on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade, which ushered in this terrible time. We should pray on the anniversary of the Dobbs ruling, in gratitude that God has given our nation a second chance.
We should pray –not just in private – but together and publicly for an end to all threats to human life.
Here are some resources for praying together as families, parishes, and pro-life ministries.
Faith in Action Resources multiple prayer-campaign resources from the Knights of Columbus for parishes
Sidewalk Prayer find out how to devote one hour per month to public prayer outside a local abortion clinic
Family Novena for Life a beautiful devotional for families with children at home
40 Days for Life find out what 40 Days for Life is doing in your state!
What other pro-life resources or activities are happening in your area? How will you be helping transform and heal America after Roe? Comment below!