Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the archbishop of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court opinion in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization issued on June 24, 2022.
“Nearly 50 years ago when Roe v. Wade was handed down, our nation became a house divided against itself by putting freedom of choice before even the inalienable right of life itself. Since then, we have tirelessly prayed and worked for a restoration of the values stated in the Declaration of Independence that have made ours a truly great nation.
“Human life is precious and sacred. With the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, now we can begin to heal those divisions that have so diminished us as a people and as a society.
“We rejoice in this latest step in our journey, but our work is not done. Locally and nationally, we still have more to do to advance the dignity of human life and to make sure that the full range of life issues are adequately addressed. This includes supporting pregnant women in making life-affirming choices, providing better availability of prenatal and postnatal care for children and their mothers, advocating for affordable child care and safe schools, and advancing policies that support mothers in school and in the workforce.
“We must also recognize that a life-affirming ethic should also draw attention to a host of other areas that should be of great concern to humanity. This includes revoking the death penalty and caring for the imprisoned; addressing all forms of injustice, including racism; caring for the poor, the sick, elderly, and vulnerable; and advancing a greater recognition of our calling in the entire spectrum of human relationships to be brothers and sisters to one another.”
(The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is home to more than 655,000 Catholics, 139 parishes and 90 Catholic schools, located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.)
