Chicago City Wire

Cardinal Blase Cupich, the Archbishop of Chicago, released a statement in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s historic ruling Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization overturning Roe v. Wade which established a right to abortion. 

The ruling made abortion effectively illegal immediately in several states. However, Illinois has been ramping up access to abortions and is now offering subsidies to out-of-state abortion seekers. 

“Today, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturns the court’s tragic 1973 decision that removed legal protection for unborn children,” Cupich said in a statement. “We welcome this important ruling and the opportunity it creates for a national conversation on protecting human life in the womb and promoting human dignity at all stages of life. This moment should serve as a turning point in our dialogue about the place an unborn child holds in our nation, about our responsibility to listen to women and support them through pregnancies and after the birth of their children, and about the need to refocus our national priorities to support families, particularly those in need.”

The Cardinal underscored the Catholic Church’s stand and its belief: “that every human life is sacred, that every person is made in the image and likeness of God and therefore deserving of reverence and protection.” He said that, “it is the reason the Catholic Church is the country’s largest provider of social services, many aimed at eliminating the systemic poverty and health care insecurity that trap families in a cycle of hopelessness and limit authentic choice.”

“Make no mistake, because this ruling regrettably will have little impact on abortion in Illinois, as there are virtually no restrictions here, we will continue to advocate strongly for legal protections for unborn children,” Cupich said. “And we will redouble our efforts to work with all to build a culture that values the inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all."

In Illinois, abortion facilities recently increased their capacity in anticipation of a spike in the number of abortion requests, according to Prairie State Wire. Planned Parenthood has opened a number of new abortion facilities along the state's border with Republican-controlled states. Abortion providers assert that there will be a five-fold increase in abortions.

“We also come to this dialogue as Americans, knowing that the principle that all human beings are endowed by the Creator with certain inalienable rights is enshrined in the Declaration of Independence, and that first among these is the right to life,” Cupich further stated.

Since 2014, there has been a consistent rise in the number of women seeking abortions outside of Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, there were 7,534 abortions performed on non-residents in Illinois in 2019, a 150 percent increase over the preceding five years. The surge in the number of non-residents seeking abortions in the state is partially attributable to nonprofit groups that assist out-of-state abortion seekers, like the Chicago Abortion Fund, Block Club Chicago reported.

Father Cupich also mentioned that the “ruling is not the end of a journey, but rather a fresh start.” He said “it underscores the need to understand those who disagree” with the Catholic church, and “to inculcate an ethic of dialogue and cooperation.” He urged people to “begin by examining our national conscience, taking stock of those dark places in our society and in our hearts that turn to violence and deny the humanity of our brothers and sisters, and get to work building up the common good by choosing life.”

The City of Chicago just gave $500,000 to assist people of color and the poor in getting abortion care. Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot authorized the funds for a number of organizations, including the Midwest Access Coalition and the Chicago Abortion Fund. “So we've got to be ready, and we've got to step up,” Lightfoot said prior to the U.S. Supreme Court opinion overturning Roe v. Wade.