A Statement from Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans
On the US Supreme Court Decision in Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health

June 24, 2022

Today, the United States Supreme Court reversed course on the 1972 Roe v Wade decision that made abortion on demand the law of the land by returning this issue to the individual states to govern restrictions and access to abortion. We give thanks to God that the injustice of abortion on demand has come to an end, and that we as a society will have the opportunity to save more innocent unborn lives.

The people of God in the Archdiocese of New Orleans must stand ready to support mothers in need and their babies. We must do what we can to advocate for medical care and resources for mothers and their families. We must support businesses that put women and families first in their practices. We must provide real resources for vulnerable women in unplanned pregnancies and encourage families to support their daughters and sons when faced with an unplanned pregnancy.

Perhaps more importantly, we must do more to change the hearts and minds of people when it comes to the dignity of all human life. We must form our young people in the truth of Christ and natural law about the right to life. We must teach our young women and men respect for themselves and their full and authentic femininity and masculinity. We must be consistent in our ethics regarding life from the womb to the sick and elderly to the prisoner. As Catholics we must unequivocally stand for the dignity and respect for all human life from conception to natural death.