Dear Editor,

On Friday, June 24, 2022, the Supreme Court of the United States of America ruled on the case of Dobbs v. Jackson, thereby overturning the infamous Roe v. Wade case of January 22, 1973.

According to National Right to Life, it is estimated that over 63 million children have been lost to abortion since 1973. Overturning Roe v. Wade will not end abortion, it will simply put the responsibility for regulating abortion back to the individual states. Some states may decide to prohibit abortions; other states will allow abortions up to the birth of the baby (and even after – also known as partial birth abortions or live dismemberment abortions.

“After almost fifty years of practically unlimited abortion, it is a blessing that this finally went back to the states. Kansas has always carried conservative values. Although much work toward protecting life will still need to be done, like passing Value Them Both in Kansas, we need to celebrate the victories – such as overturning Roe v. Wade.” said Greg Kohake, pro-life coordinator for the Knights of Columbus Council #1769 in Seneca.

Church bells rang out throughout Nemaha County on Friday evening following the announcement by the Supreme Court earlier in the day. “To celebrate, St. Mary’s parish in St. Benedict rang their bells at 7 p.m. for 50 seconds. Each second represented a year that Roe v. Wade was in effect.” said Alicia Bergman, pro-life coordinator for the parish. 

Pastor Jason Drahota from NorthRidge Church, located in Sabetha and Seneca, simply stated: “The Right to Life is not merely to be debated, it is to be proclaimed with authority throughout the entire world!” 

Shortly after the Supreme Court’s decision, Archbishop Joseph Naumann had the following statement on the Archdiocesan Facebook page: “The Supreme Court decision takes us back to where we were in 1973 where each state determined the public policy regarding abortion. I am grateful the Supreme Court has returned the right to the people to determine public policy that protects the lives of unborn children as well as their mothers from the tragedy of abortion. Today’s decision inspires the pro-life community to re-double our efforts to provide love and practical support to women experiencing a difficult or untimely pregnancy. In Kansas it also elevates the importance of the Value Them Both Constitutional Amendment.”

Knights of Columbus Council #1769, Seneca