Sidebar

(Sidebar is a series of the Respect Life Ministry, presenting short articles and messages on life issues.)

By: Patrick O'Hannigan

Question: I heard that the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. Does that mean that abortion is now illegal?

Answer: While it’s true that the Supreme Court used a case from Mississippi called Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization to overturn both Roe v. Wade and a 1992 ruling that reinforced that, the majority opinion handed down in June 2022 only said that abortion is unconstitutional. In legal language, the court admitted it had leaned for years on faulty logic, because neither the 14th Amendment nor anything else in our founding documents actually supports abortion. It can't be justified by “penumbras” that geniuses like Madison and Jefferson somehow missed back in the day. But unconstitutional isn't always the same as illegal. In practical terms, the Supreme Court returned policy-making authority to individual states.

Context: North Carolina still permits abortions up until a woman’s 20th week of pregnancy. The Guttmacher Institute, which does research for the abortion industry, calls that “restrictive.” But Americans United for Life ranks North Carolina 28th on its annual “Life List,” meaning that 27 other states do a better job of protecting unborn children. With the Supreme Court’s decision returning policy in this area to the states, governors and state legislators have more say than they had formerly. Conversion of hearts and gentle but clear education about life issues must continue. Mary, Immaculate Conception, pray for us!