DIOCESE—Rockford diocesan parishes held holy hours and pro-life groups gathered for prayer at local courthouses in an effort to show support 

for life. 

 

Staff members of the diocesan Life and Family Evangelization Office joined the Rockford Family Initiative’s prayer vigil in front of the Federal Courthouse in downtown Rockford while the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Dec. 1 in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case — the case that could assist the overturn of Roe v. Wade.

 

These prayers and actions were added to the call that same day by the chairman of the U.S. bishops’ pro-life committee who urged all people of goodwill across the U.S. to unite in prayer for the U.S. Supreme Court’s eventual ruling. 

 

“In the United States, abortion takes the lives of over 600,000 babies every year,” said Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities. 

 

“Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health could change that. We pray that the court will do the right thing and allow states to once again limit or prohibit abortion, and in doing so protect millions of unborn children and their mothers from this painful, life-destroying act.” 

 

Archbishop Lori directed people to www.prayfordobbs.com for Catholic and ecumenical prayers and resources for community engagement and action “as we await the court’s decision in this case.”