In the very near future, the United States Supreme Court will begin hearing a case that challenges the constitutionality of a 2018 Mississippi law which bans abortion after 15 weeks. Katherine Talalas, assistant director for pro-life communications at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has called it “the biggest case on abortion in 30 years.” That’s because the court’s decision will determine the power that individual states have in the future to regulate abortion within their own borders.
Some political pundits are saying that there’s a real possibility that this decision will result in the striking down of Roe v. Wade. That would certainly be a positive and welcomed legal development, and represent a great victory for the pro-life cause.
But changing laws alone is not sufficient. If we’re ever going to rid this nation of the scourge of abortion, those of us who are pro-life also need to be working to change people’s minds and hearts. And that is not easy. A helpful tool in this regard is the recently published book by Shawn Carney and Steve Karlen, entitled “What to Say When: The Complete New Guide to Discussing Abortion.” As Bishop Joseph Coffey has written, this book “gives us all practical advice on how to discuss this topic [of abortion] with friends, neighbors, family, and even those who disagree with us. A must read!”
It’s certainly a “must read” for pro-lifers who want to be well-prepared for the passionate discussions and debates that will no doubt ensue once the Supreme Court begins its deliberations.
