October 3, 2022 | The Catholic Church in the United States observes October as “Respect Life Month.” This year, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Pro-Life Activities invites Catholics to “practice radical solidarity and unconditional love” for pregnant and parenting mothers. 

The Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health this past June returned the responsibility of limiting abortion from the judiciary to the legislature. For those of us who have prayed for this moment to arrive, says Archbishop Lori, “it is the time for a renewal and rededication of our efforts to build a culture of life and civilization of love.” He explains that “justice requires that the basic protections of the law against violence be extended to the preborn child” while explaining that building “a world in which all are welcome requires not only justice, but compassion, healing, and above all, unconditional love.”

Moving from law to culture, Archbishop Lori asks Catholics to “shift the paradigm to what Saint Pope John Paul II described as ‘radical solidarity,’ making the good of others our own good, including especially mothers, babies (born and unborn), and families throughout the entire human lifespan.” He reminds the faithful that “Our Church understands that parents, children, and families need help not just during pregnancy, but throughout the whole of life’s journey because millions of Catholics already accompany their neighbors in such circumstances.”