COLUMBUS, Ohio (LifeSiteNews) – The Catholic bishops of Ohio denounced Tuesday’s passage of Issue 1, the radical abortion amendment that allows the murder of the unborn up until birth without restrictions, with Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati calling it “a coordinated state-by-state attack on life.”
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Declaring the election results “deeply disturbing” and showing a clear need for “conversion of hearts and minds to a culture of life in our country,” Archbishop Dennis Schnurr of Cincinnati wrote:
“The passage of Issue 1 in Ohio is part of what appears to be a coordinated state-by-state attack on life. Please pray for our sisters and brothers in Arizona, Florida, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, and South Dakota who likely will face proposals similar to Issue 1 on their respective state ballots in 2024.”
“Yesterday’s passage of Issue 1 is deeply disturbing,” Schnurr wrote. “The people of Ohio missed on this important opportunity to demonstrate that the health and safety of women, the fundamental rights of parents, and the lives of preborn children deserve protection. Despite this outcome, we are grateful for all of you who prayed, educated yourselves and others, and voted NO on this horrific amendment. And we praise God for the gift of His great love and mercy which He continues to pour out to us in good times and in bad.”
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“The passage of Issue 1 shows that there remains a desperate need for conversion of hearts and minds to a culture of life in our country, one that respects the inherent dignity and sacredness of every human being from conception to natural death,” the Cincinnati archbishop said. “This conversion will come about only through earnest prayer and the witness of our compassionate care for the most vulnerable among us – immigrants, the poor, the elderly, preborn children, and women in need.”
Thanking the many pregnancy centers and other pro-life ministries in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Schnurr urged the faithful “to redouble support for these Catholic ministries that provide material resources and personal accompaniment to women, children and families so that abortion, legal or not, ceases to be even a consideration. For a listing of such ministries in our archdiocese, please go to https://catholicaoc.org/forlife.”
“We must not become disheartened by setbacks. As Catholics, we are called to trust always in God’s providence and be courageous in our defense of the health and safety of women, the inviolability of the family, and the inestimable value of each human life.”
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In a joint statement issued through the Catholic Conference of Ohio, the Catholic bishops of the state wrote:
Today is a tragic day for women, children, and families in Ohio. We mourn that the dignity of human life remains concealed by the duplicity of a culture of death. Though this is a day of sorrow, we are never without hope. St. Paul tells us that it is in hope that we were saved and, “if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.”
Asking for God’s protection and mercy, we must look ahead. Despite the obstacles this amendment presents, the Catholic Church in Ohio will continue to work for policies that defend the most vulnerable, strengthen the child-parent relationship, and support women in need. As we pray for the conversion of minds and hearts to the gospel of life, we recommit ourselves to defending children in the womb and supporting women in need. The Catholic Church and faithful will never grow weary in our mission to help women and families flourish through ministries such as Walking with Moms in Need and other local organizations that provide material and spiritual support and through advocacy with policymakers.
We, the Catholic Bishops of Ohio, are grateful to the Catholic faithful, clergy, and all people of goodwill whose actions in this campaign demonstrated our commitment to honoring and upholding the dignity of life. Your sacrifices prove that the Church will never abandon her mission to support human life. We will persevere in this mission until every preborn child is protected, every pregnant woman is supported, and every human life receives respect, dignity, and justice.
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Bishop Paul Bradley, the apostolic administrator in the Diocese of Steubenville, insisted in a statement on the passage of the Issue 1 amendment that the womb of the mother should be the safest place when it comes to protecting life. “Ohio joins a growing number of other states to lose sight of the intrinsic value of human life,” Bradley said. “If life is not protected in what should be the safest place imaginable, the mother’s womb, life is at great risk outside the womb. God help us.”
Bishop David Bonnar of the Diocese of Youngstown said he was “saddened by the result of this election, and above all concerned about vulnerable human life.”
“I am also grateful for the valiant effort of the clergy, religious, and faithful, working together to make our Catholic voice known on this difficult but important issue,” he continued. “Countless hours were expended on this cause, with coordination between bishops, diocesan offices, and concerned faithful throughout the state and diocese. As a community of faith, we will build upon this collaboration and continue to promote the dignity of every human person. We will be unrelenting in our effort to care for women, children, families, and anyone in need. Our care for life and one another can never be reduced to election day. We need to be intentional every day about our love for one another and human life. This is all about forming a ‘culture of life and a civilization of love.’”
Bishop Edward Malesic of Cleveland lamented the passage, saying, “Today is a very sad, disheartening day for me, as I am sure it is for so many of you who have championed the great cause of upholding the sanctity of human life, from the moment of conception. Even though our efforts to overcome the enshrinement of abortion into our state constitution failed, we must never give up on the just cause to support a culture that values every life, at every stage.”
“We must recommit ourselves to supporting pregnant women in need through our ministries that serve them – whether they face challenging pregnancies or find it extremely difficult to care for their children after birth. We must continue our work to care for these vulnerable women by providing physical, emotional and spiritual support through places like Zelie’s Home, the Christ Child Society and the many programs offered by Catholic Charities.”
“Please join me in praying and persisting in our mission to protect every life, which is foundational to our faith and in our belief that every life is a priceless, precious gift from God.”
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