Leaders in the Illinois pro-life movement responded favorably to reports that the U.S. Supreme Court will overturn the landmark 1973 abortion case Roe v. Wade, even as abortion rights advocates including Gov. J. B. Pritzker condemned the pending action.
“Good news for mothers and babies in dozens of states,” David Smith of Illinois Family Institute said, but he warned on Twitter, “we have a TON of work to do here in Illinois, where we’ll become a destination point for death.”
Chief Justice John Roberts confirmed that the leaked document, a first draft of the Court’s opinion in the Mississippi case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health, is genuine. First reported by Politico, the draft is not the final version of what is expected to be a 5-4 ruling overturning Roe, but Roberts pointed out that opinion is still subject to change.
After receiving news of the leak, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker wrote on Twitter, “Women’s rights are under assault, and they won’t stop there. Gay rights, birth control, fertility treatment – every decision that makes our country more free and more fair.”
“It’s great news, but we understand that abortion will not end because of this great news,” said Debbie Shultz said of the pending Supreme Court ruling. “It will help by sending (legislative power) back to the states so that the states can then decide.” Shultz is founder of two ministries that assist pregnant women and those who are suffering after their decision to abort a baby.
“We keep praying that hearts are changed, because that’s when abortion will ultimately end—when hearts are changed,” she said. That Illinois would expand as an abortion destination “is very concerning’ to Shultz, considering that surrounding states have limited or almost ended abortion. So far, 12 states have taken steps to restrict abortion while Illinois and a few others have loosened restrictions. “There is always hope, but there’s a lot of work to do, especially through pro-life organizations increasing awareness of the devastating effects of abortion.”
Shultz said recent research shows 50% of abortions are performed on women who have had at least one abortion previously, so reaching those women is crucial.
Shultz started First Steps, a pregnancy resource ministry in Springfield. Later she started Embracing Grace after Abortion, a ministry to women who had an abortion. Schultz said she herself was hurting for 15 years after having an abortion, not knowing that was the cause. “If we can help them heal after their first abortion then we can help end the demand for abortion.”
The Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services serves young women facing crisis pregnancies. BCHFS operates Angel’s Cove, a residential facility for pregnant women, and in 2020, BCHFS opened GraceHaven, a pregnancy resource center in Mt. Vernon.
“In response to Roe v. Wade in 1973, BCHFS began providing maternity care services to women facing unplanned pregnancies,” said Doug Devore, interim Executive Director of BCHFS. “We at BCHFS want to share the truth about all of the choices a woman has when facing an unplanned pregnancy. As Illinois is currently a leading state in abortion services, we at Baptist Children’s Home and Family Services are committed to providing abortion alternatives to women facing an unplanned pregnancy.”
The final ruling is expected before the High Court’s current session ends in July. If the Court overturns Roe v. Wade as part of the ruling against a Mississippi abortion provider, the return of abortion legislation power to states will move pro-life to the front burner in the mid-term and gubernatorial elections this fall.
As Shultz and other pro-life advocates reiterated, there’s always hope to end abortion, even in Illinois, but there’s a lot of work to do. Much of it will be in local churches and in the voting booth.