Friday’s ruling by the Supreme Court regarding abortion is showing the deep divide in our country. I have said for many years that the abortion decision created the “line in the sand” for this country. How to reconcile the two sides of the abortion issue when the 5^th commandment is very clearly about murder. I am providing the statements by Cardinal DiNardo, the Texas bishops conference, and the American bishops conference regarding Friday’s decision. Following those comments, I am providing some action items that we, THE CHURCH, can do to build the kingdom of God. These action items are taken from the bishop’s document titled, Stading With Moms In Need.

Cardinal DiNardo's statement on the overturn of Roe v. Wade
JUNE 24, 2022
By Daniel Cardinal DiNardo, Archbishop of Galveston-Houston

Today’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health is a welcome and positive step toward creating a life-affirming society. It is a necessary step. Abortion is too often viewed as a positive good and a practice necessary to ensure women’s liberty.  Although this perspective is deeply flawed, it is a widespread belief which will take time and patience to overcome. 
Tensions are high. Violence and property destruction have already occurred in many places, and threats of further violence have been made by groups opposed to the decision of the Court.
As we know, the Court’s decision will not end abortion in our country.  In Texas, where laws protecting the unborn are relatively robust, much work will remain, as we increase our assistance to mothers and families and continue working for just laws to strengthen support for parents and children. 
I urge Catholics to act prudently and to avoid situations that may lead to public confrontation. We are called to speak the truth wisely, avoiding conduct that could unnecessarily inflame tensions. I ask for your prayers; for peace, for our nation, for mothers and their children, and for ourselves, that we will not cease working for the dignity of all, especially the unborn and the vulnerable. 
  Texas bishops grateful for overturn of Roe v. Wade
June 24, 2022
The Texas Catholic Conference of Bishops issued the following statement on the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States regarding Dobbs v Jackson:
We celebrate with grateful hearts the historic decision by the Supreme Court of the United States to overturn Roe v. Wade. The state of Texas will again have the ability to protect and defend children in the womb at all stages. We are grateful the Texas Legislature and Governor Greg Abbott have already passed a law prohibiting elective abortion, which will become effective 30 days after the final ruling is issued.
We pledge to redouble our efforts to work with Texas legislators and all others of good will to reinforce current support systems for pregnant mothers with insufficient support, their families, and children in need of adoption or foster care.
This decision ends a very dark chapter in American history, and is the fruit of the prayers, sacrifices, and advocacy of countless Americans from every walk of life. We share their joy and are grateful to them.
This decision begins a new chapter of light in American history with the end of legal elective abortion in Texas. It requires that we become intentionally more aware of the needs of pregnant mothers and fathers of the unborn in our own parishes and communities by listening to them, seeking understanding, and helping them obtain the necessities of life for themselves and their children. May we continue to lovingly support mothers and fathers in welcoming and caring for God’s gift of life.
There are several initiatives in which volunteers can participate and through which mothers and fathers can seek support. These include Walking with Moms in Need, the Texas Pregnancy Care Network, Catholic Charities, diocesan pro-life programs and many parish-based services, such as St. Vincent de Paul Society. For more information, contact your local Catholic parish.
  USCCB statement on U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson
June 24, 2022
WASHINGTON - In response to the Supreme Court of the United States issuing its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, Archbishop José H. Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities issued the following statement:
“This is a historic day in the life of our country, one that stirs our thoughts, emotions and prayers. For nearly fifty years, America has enforced an unjust law that has permitted some to decide whether others can live or die; this policy has resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of preborn children, generations that were denied the right to even be born.
“America was founded on the truth that all men and women are created equal, with God-given rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. This truth was grievously denied by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling, which legalized and normalized the taking of innocent human life. We thank God today that the Court has now overturned this decision. We pray that our elected officials will now enact laws and policies that promote and protect the most vulnerable among us.
“Our first thoughts are with the little ones whose lives have been taken since 1973. We mourn their loss, and we entrust their souls to God, who loved them from before all ages and who will love them for all eternity. Our hearts are also with every woman and man who has suffered grievously from abortion; we pray for their healing, and we pledge our continued compassion and support. As a Church, we need to serve those who face difficult pregnancies and surround them with love.   
“Today’s decision is also the fruit of the prayers, sacrifices, and advocacy of countless ordinary Americans from every walk of life. Over these long years, millions of our fellow citizens have worked together peacefully to educate and persuade their neighbors about the injustice of abortion, to offer care and counseling to women, and to work for alternatives to abortion, including adoption, foster care, and public policies that truly support families. We share their joy today and we are grateful to them. Their work for the cause of life reflects all that is good in our democracy, and the pro-life movement deserves to be numbered among the great movements for social change and civil rights in our nation’s history. 
“Now is the time to begin the work of building a post-Roe America. It is a time for healing wounds and repairing social divisions; it is a time for reasoned reflection and civil dialogue, and for coming together to build a society and economy that supports marriages and families, and where every woman has the support and resources she needs to bring her child into this world in love.
“As religious leaders, we pledge ourselves to continue our service to God’s great plan of love for the human person, and to work with our fellow citizens to fulfill America’s promise to guarantee the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for all people.”

Standing With Moms In Need

As the chairmen of committees serving the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, we proclaim a vision for our society that upholds the truth that every human life is sacred and inviolable—a society in which the legal protection of human life is accompanied by profound care for mothers and their children. We exhort our nation to prioritize the well-being of women, children, and families with both material resources and personal accompaniment so that no woman ever feels forced to choose between her future and the life of her child.

In that effort, we recommit our committees and urge our dioceses, parishes, and Catholic agencies and institutions: • To redouble our efforts to accompany women and couples who are facing unexpected or difficult pregnancies, and during the early years of parenthood, offering them loving and compassionate care through initiatives such as Walking with Moms in Need and countless others.
• To ensure our Catholic parishes are places of welcome for women facing challenging pregnancies or who find it difficult to care for their children after birth, so that any mother needing assistance will receive lifeaffirming support and be connected to appropriate programs and resources where she can get help.
• To help Catholics recognize the needs of pregnant and parenting moms in their communities, enabling parishioners to know these mothers, to listen to them, and to help them obtain the necessities of life for themselves and their children.
• To be witnesses of love and life by expanding and improving the extensive network of comprehensive care including pregnancy help centers, maternity homes, and Catholic health care and social service agencies

• To proclaim with a clear and united voice that our society can and must protect and care for both women and their children.

• To redouble our advocacy for laws that ensure the right to life for unborn children and that no mother or family lacks the basic resources needed to care for their children, regardless of race, age, immigration status, or any other factor
• To continue to support and advocate for public policies and programs directed toward building up the common good and fostering integral human development, with a special concern for the needs of immigrants and low-income families.

We are deeply conscious that, after nearly half a century of legalized abortion, more than 65 million children have died from abortion and an untold number of women, men, and families suffer in the aftermath. Recognizing this pain and loss, we also recommit our committees and urge our dioceses, parishes, and Catholic agencies and institutions:
• To proclaim God’s mercy after abortion and compassionately accompany women and men who are suffering after an abortion.
• To expand our diocesan abortion healing ministries, most often called Project Rachel Ministry, so that women and men receive forgiveness, healing, and spiritual renewal through Christ’s infinite mercy.
• To transform our parishes into what Pope Francis calls “islands of mercy in a sea of indifference” by raising Catholic awareness of the great struggle involved in an abortion, and the guilt, pain, and grief that follow.

In all these ways and more, the Catholic Church witnesses to the sanctity of all human life, from conception to natural death, and works to build a true culture of life in our nation. May a renewed commitment to life overflow into increased protection of unborn children and expanded support for their mothers and families.