In their annual statement marking the January 22 anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade, the bishops of Florida lament that a mother’s womb has become a place of vulnerability for the developing child rather than a place of safety and security.

The bishops confirm that all life issues are interconnected. Poverty, race and disability endangers the life of the unborn child and contributes to a great number of abortions in our country. “Abortion is a direct assault on human life; devaluing the poor, minorities and the disabled harms human dignity,” said the bishops.

Recognizing that it is often the mother’s susceptibility to social ills and pressures that prompt a decision to abort her child, the bishops express gratitude for those who help pregnant women in need of counseling and support. “In a particular way, we thank those who accompany vulnerable women through their pregnancies,” stated the bishops. “Pregnancy support centers show genuine care for women and their unborn children, and alleviate the vulnerability that otherwise prompts many to consider what should be unthinkable, the aborting of one’s child.”

In closing, the bishops “renew the call to stand together in solidarity to protect the unborn child, and the child’s vulnerable parents, and to address the social concerns that put them at risk.”

The full text of the Statement of the Catholic Bishops of Florida on the 45th Anniversary of Roe v. Wade is available online in English and Spanish.