On June 24, 2022, the Diocese of Des Moines released the following statement regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision on Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization. View Statement on Dobbs – Spanish to read in Spanish.
The U.S. Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization corrects the grave injustice introduced in 1973 by Roe v Wade, when we, as a country, denied the right of the preborn to exist. Now, the legality of abortion rests with the states.
The Catholic Church teaches that all human life possess inherent dignity from the moment of conception to natural death and beyond. We advocate for the protection of human life in keeping with the common good. The gift from God of life is sacred, regardless of appearance or age. Therefore, as Archbishop Anthony Fisher, OP, of Sydney, Australia, has commented, we want to be “in solidarity with those who wish to migrate from the womb to the world.” Our advocacy applies for every person, both mother and preborn child. We encourage lawmakers to prioritize policies that affirm dignity and life, and support women, children and families.
The Catholic Church has a long history of assisting pregnant and parenting mothers by providing health care and social services. We will continue to accompany women and couples facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, offering them love and compassionate care.
It is our hope that as citizens and residents of this country, we can remain engaged and find common ground even if we hold differing viewpoints. May we abide as true neighbors despite our differences, and respect each other’s dignity through civil discourse. As the social doctrine of the Church envisions, may we become “people capable of bringing peace where there is conflict, of building and nurturing fraternal relationships where there is hatred, of seeking justice where there prevails the exploitation of man by man. Only love is capable of radically transforming the relationships that (humans) maintain among themselves.”
The Diocese of Des Moines includes 80 parishes in 23 counties in central and southwest Iowa.