While the June 24 Supreme Court ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization returns to individual states the right to fashion their own laws regulating abortion, the ruling will not affect the availability of abortions in Maryland, according to a Maryland Catholic Conference official.
“Abortion access in Maryland will not change as a direct result of Dobbs. Maryland already has some of the nation's most permissive laws, including permitting abortions throughout pregnancy,” Jenny Kraska, executive director of the Maryland Catholic Conference, told the Catholic Standard in an e-mailed statement.
The Maryland Catholic Conference is the public policy arm of the two Catholic archdioceses and one diocese in the state – the Archdiocese of Baltimore; the Archdiocese of Washington, which includes five Maryland counties surrounding the nation’s capital; and the Diocese of Wilmington, which includes counties on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
The Dobbs case centered on the Jackson Women's Health Organization’s challenge to a Mississippi law banning most abortions in that state after 15 weeks. The clinic contended that the law violated the constitutional right to an abortion as decided by the Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade in 1973 and reaffirmed in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey in 1992.
In its Dobbs ruling, the Supreme Court overturned Roe and Casey – calling those rulings "an abuse of judicial authority" – and thus allowing each state to enact its own laws concerning abortion.
Kraska noted that earlier this year, Maryland lawmakers enacted measures “to further expand access – and funding – by allowing non-physicians to perform abortions, increasing public funding, and mandating most insurance plans cover abortion.” The new law takes effect July 1, exactly one week after the Dobbs ruling.
Maryland lawmakers also attempted – but failed – to move forward a bill to seek a constitutional amendment on abortion and “reproductive liberty.”
“We anticipate we will see a continued push for even more permissive laws (in the state of Maryland). Our hope, however, is we can find common ground to pass laws that focus on helping women and their children during and after pregnancy,” Kraska said. “The Dobbs decision brings attention to the need – and our societal responsibility – to support women who become pregnant but don't have adequate support.”
She added that “my hope is the (Dobbs) decision inspires Catholics and people of faith to do more.”
One way in which the Maryland Catholic Conference is trying to meet the challenge of assisting women facing unplanned or crisis pregnancies is through launching "Helping Hope Bloom" (www.mdcatholic.org/hopeblooms), a new statewide initiative that provides access to resources and other helpful information for pregnant women, parenting women in need and those who seek to assist them.
“Helping Hope Bloom is about lifting up women who are pregnant and parenting with practical resources, prayer, and support,” the website explains on its homepage. “We have compiled ideas for parishes and individuals who want to do something – or do more – to help women in need.”
Among the resources made available to pregnant women and mothers are a listing of diaper banks throughout the state, where get emergency food, Catholic health care and ob/gyn services, where to access housing, legal and other services, and pregnancy support centers. There is also a list of prayers, novenas and reflections in both Spanish and English.
“Catholic Charities, Catholic hospitals, pregnancy centers, diaper banks and other programs are filling needs across Maryland. ‘Helping Hope Bloom’ pulls them together in one place to make it easy for anyone, any parish to access,” Kraska said. “We have had a great response from parishes, programs asking to be included, and individuals. We all can do something; sometimes we just need to know how.”
