Statement from Catholics for Choice President Jamie L. Manson on the One-Year Anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Overturning of Roe v. Wade
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Friday, June 23, 2023
Contact: John Becker, Press Secretary
Phone: 202-203-0931
Email: jbecker@catholicsforchoice.org
Statement from Catholics for Choice President Jamie L. Manson on the One-Year Anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Overturning of Roe v. Wade
WASHINGTON — Catholics for Choice, which uplifts and amplifies the voices of the majority of Catholics who believe in reproductive freedom, released the following statement from President Jamie L. Manson, M.Div., marking the one-year anniversary of the June 24, 2022 Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade:
“One year ago, the majority-Catholic Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and completed the decades-long religious crusade, spearheaded by the U.S. Catholic bishops, to take away our most fundamental freedom: our ability to control our own fertility and determine our own destiny.
“Here’s a crucial, overlooked fact about the Dobbs decision: All of the five justices that overturned Roe v. Wade are, or were raised, Catholic. The anti-abortion opposition that successfully overturned Roe v. Wade is a Catholic one.
“When Catholics for Choice gathered in anger on the steps of the Supreme Court that day, we knew that the Dobbs decision would give right-wing leaders license to codify their fringe religious beliefs into civil law, with a devastating impact on millions of women and pregnant people across the country. And in the year that followed, those fears have been realized: a recent study from ANSIRH found that in states where there are abortion bans and restrictions, the morbidity of pregnant patients has doubled. Long-term side effects from the delay and poor quality of care include infertility, heart attack, stroke, uncontrolled hypertension, and chronic pelvic pain and infection.
“It cannot be overstated that anti-choice Catholic forces are responsible for this suffering. At Catholics for Choice, we know that our opposition is a religious force, falsely using Catholic and Christian identities to infringe upon the rights and consciences of thousands across the country.
“The year since Dobbs has shown us just how out of step those anti-choice forces are with U.S. Catholics, the majority of whom support abortion in all or most cases. We’ve turned out in droves, in red states and blue, to defend abortion rights at the ballot box. We’ve lobbied elected officials, testified at legislative hearings, spoken up in the media, and organized. We’re more committed than ever to the urgent, lifesaving work of restoring, protecting, and expanding abortion access.
“As we acknowledge the one-year anniversary of this decision, Catholics for Choice recommits to being louder than ever about our faithfully-formed beliefs in conscience, in social justice, and in religious freedom. And we are calling on the hundreds of thousands of Catholics who agree – and who can overshadow the radical, anti-choice Catholic minority – to join us and declare, ‘I am a Catholic for Choice!’ We will continue to fight until the fundamental right to abortion is once again the law of the land.”
For the month of June, Catholics for Choice launched the “I am a Catholic for Choice” campaign, which includes a pledge for pro-choice Catholics to be silent no more; a solidarity pledge for allies who are affected by the religious overreach of the Catholic hierarchy; and “A Pro-Choice Catholic Was Here” postcards that people can post on social media and leave in church pews, on bulletin boards, in coffee shops, and more. Catholics for Choice is also hosting “How I Became a Catholic for Choice: A Conversation with Jamie Manson” on June 28. More details about these activities can be found at www.catholicsforchoice.org/iamacatholicforchoice.
Catholics for Choice shapes and advances sexual and reproductive ethics that are based on justice, reflect a commitment to a person’s well-being and respect, and affirm the capacity of all people to make moral decisions about their lives.
