Were there to be no support in the whole history of ethical and moral thought, were there no acknowledged confirmation from medical science, were the history of legal opinion to the contrary, we would still have to conclude on the basis of God's Holy Word that the unborn child is a person in the sight of God. He is protected by the sanctity of life graciously given to each individual by the Creator, Who alone places His image upon man and grants them any right to life which they have.
Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone of San Francisco and Bishop Michael C. Barber, SJ of Oakland, have just published a powerful piece in today’s Opinion section of The Wall Street Journal about the case we are defending in Oakland.
California is waging an outrageous attempt to punish two Christian nonprofits, our clients Heartbeat International and RealOptions, for helping women who regret taking the first abortion pill and connecting them with Abortion Pill Reversal treatment.
As Archbishop Cordileone and Bishop Barber write: “What kind of people see a pregnant woman who wants to reverse the effects of an abortion pill and think, ‘Let’s punish the nonprofits that informed her she has a choice’?”
There may be a legitimate diversity of opinion even among Catholics about waging war and applying the death penalty, but not however with regard to abortion and euthanasia.
The U.S. Catholic bishops issued a nationwide call to prayer and action July 27 over the rising abortion rate and the increased availability of an abortion-inducing drug.
“Every abortion involves the death of a child and harm to the mother. Now with easier access to abortion pills, the abortion rate is tragically climbing, along with increased health risks,” Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, president of the U. S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and Bishop Daniel E. Thomas of Toledo, chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, wrote in a joint announcement of the call to prayer and action.
A federal policy permitting distribution of mifepristone, sometimes called the abortion pill, by mail that was first issued by the Biden administration has thus far been left in place by the second Trump administration.
The Department of Justice, under the current Trump administration, has sought to block state challenges to the policy pending a promised safety review by the Food and Drug Administration. But the status and timeline of the FDA review are unclear.
Archbishop Coakley and Bishop Thomas wrote the FDA “has enabled a nationwide mail-order abortion industry by allowing abortion pills to be prescribed in telehealth appointments and sold both at neighborhood pharmacies and online, circumventing state laws that protect life in the womb.”
“This leaves women vulnerable to suffering an abortion alone at home, without any medical supervision,” they said. “It also sets up additional opportunities for exploitation by violent partners or human traffickers.”
The bishops said that now through the end of October, when the Church in the U.S. marks Respect Life Month, “the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities is inviting Catholics to join a focused effort of prayer and action to stop the spread of abortion pills.”
They urged Catholics to seek “the intercession of St. Joseph, Defender of Life” as well as to send messages to pharmacies and pharmaceutical companies that are involved. The Respect Life Prayer to St. Joseph can be found here in English and here in Spanish.
NYC update (through 2023, published 2026): New York City's 2023 abortion statistics showed 50,052 abortions reported in the city, an 8% increase from 2022. On the racial breakdown: non-Hispanic Black women obtained the largest share of abortions (33% of the total), and among non-Hispanic Black women in NYC, 48% of pregnancies ended in abortion versus 48% in live birth — essentially at parity — while non-Hispanic white women saw 11% end in abortion versus 86% in live birth. The ratio: 993 abortions per 1,000 live births for non-Hispanic Black women, compared to 127 per 1,000 for non-Hispanic white women. So as of the latest data, NYC is essentially at the 1:1 threshold for Black women citywide, without quite crossing it — a change from 2016, when it did cross.
“The second commandment of the teaching: You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not seduce boys. You shall not commit fornication. You shall not steal. You shall not practice magic. You shall not use potions. You shall not procure [an] abortion, nor destroy a newborn child” (Didache 2:1–2 [A.D. 70]).
5. Wrath is a reminder of hidden hatred, that is to say, remembrance of wrongs. Wrath is a desire for the injury of the one who has provoked you. Irascibility is the untimely blazing up of the heart. Bitterness is a movement of displeasure seated in the soul. Anger is an easily changeable movement of one's disposition and disfiguration of soul.
The Secretariat on Pro-Life Activities has developed a reflection focusing on hope after abortion. This article, available in both English and Spanish, recalls the search for the lost sheep based on the parable from Luke 15. It reflects on Christ, the Good Shepherd, who always desires to offer us his mercy, no matter what sins we have committed. View here!
We are happy to announce that this reflection will also be available on the free version of the Hallow app in September, led by Bishop James T. Ruggieri of the Diocese of Portland, ME. Please join us in praying that it will offer hope to those who are suffering after an abortion experience.
JULY 26- FEAST OF ST. ANNE AND ST. JOACHIM
St. Anne and St. Joachim became the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary after a long struggle with infertility. They honored God by forming their daughter in the faith, preparing her heart for the coming of Christ. Ultimately, as the grandparents of Jesus Christ, may they intercede for us all in passing on the faith to both children and grandchildren.
The National Catholic Bioethics Center’s (NCBC) online certification program in health care ethics starts next month! The program educates students in the foundational principles and teachings of the Church’s moral tradition and in their application to challenging contemporary issues in bioethics and health care. The certification program is open to all Catholic professionals, including teachers of religion and science and those involved in the pro-life movement.
WORD OF LIFE: AUGUST, & SEPTEMBER 2026
The August 2026 andSeptember 2026 issues of Word of Life are available in English and Spanish. Word of Life is a monthly resource for dioceses and parishes that includes monthly special features, intercessions, bulletin quotes, and graphics. Previous editions can be found in the archive, and anyone can subscribe to receive Word of Life directly by email.
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