By Dc. Tom Cuskey
Editor
June 24 will mark the one-year anniversary of the historic Supreme Court decision overturning Roe vs. Wade. The longstanding Constitutional right guaranteeing access to abortion was reversed eliminating federal standards that had been established by earlier decisions. It was a victory for pro-life forces, not completely winning the battle but striking down federal law and moving the battleground to the individual state governments to decide.
In the Diocese of Syracuse, the Office of Family/Respect Life Ministry has been at the forefront of area efforts to protect life in New York where current state leadership is very pro-choice. Lisa Hall is director of the diocesan office; we asked her to relive the moment last year when the federal law was overturned.
“It was surreal to me,” she offered. “I never thought that day would come. It just felt surreal, that the opportunity would be there to hopefully protect more unborn children and to acknowledge the humanity of the unborn child. That’s what was most awesome to me.”
Hall shared that the date sparked a renewed conversation on the options that can turn an unexpected pregnancy into a positive opportunity rather than an end to a life. She said the abortion solution to end a pregnancy has been “force-fed through this culture in the last 50 years.” She adds that we, as individuals, a diocese and a society, need to do a better job supporting women when these circumstances arise.
One year later, Hall reports that there are a number of states that have passed laws limiting abortion with most, if not all, including exceptions for cases involving rape, incest or danger to the life of the expectant mother.
“There are a number of other states who have gone completely the other direction,” added Hall. “And New York is one of them that has declared itself a sanctuary state for abortion. Governor (Kathy) Hochul has even gone so far as to put aside $35 million in tax dollars to even fund abortion for residents who live outside of New York State, to pay for their travel expenses, to pay for them to be able to come and have an abortion.”
She also cited recent mandates that require every SUNY and CUNY campus to provide students access to the abortion pill.
“You could have a young woman who’s a freshman in college, fresh out of her parents’ home, really kind of independent for the first time in her life. And with no guidance, no seeing a doctor, and nobody who knows her helping her to make these decisions.” She added that “we’ve gone off the deep end in New York State.”
How, then, can a Catholic in the state, in the Diocese, respond?
“I think the only way we can respond is to love the mother that’s facing this circumstance.”
She cited a document put forth by the bishops of New York State, Radical Solidarity, as well as a program from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops called Walking With Moms in Need.
“It outlines beautifully what Catholics can do to respond in this very anti-life state.” She stressed that “what we need to do is to accompany women who are facing unexpected pregnancy. We need to know the places that they can go to receive life-affirming care and choices.”
Of course, she reminds all that prayer, understanding and support are critical to effecting change in the state and, for now and always, accompanying those in need.
“Every Catholic parish should be that place, that sanctuary place for a woman facing an unexpected pregnancy.”
Editor’s note:
- The diocesan Family/Respect Life Office can be contacted HERE (https://syracusediocese.org/offices/familyrespect-life/)
- The NYS Catholic Conference document Radical Solidarity can be found HERE (https://www.nyscatholic.org/radical-solidarity/)
- The USCCB program Walking With Moms in Need can be found HERE (https://www.usccb.org/prolife/walking-moms-need).
