As the country approaches the one-year anniversary of the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling by the Supreme Court, Bishop Michael Burbidge expounded on the significance of the decision.

“June 24, 2023, marks the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, and we have much to celebrate,” Burbidge said in a release put out by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). “By the grace of God, the nearly fifty-year reign of national abortion on demand has been put to an end. Roe v. Wade—a seemingly insurmountable blight on our nation—is no more!”

Burbidge serves as the chairman of the Committee on Pro-Life Activities for the USCCB. He is also the bishop of Arlington.

The Supreme Court's ruling in the case marked a reversal of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which had legalized abortion nationwide. The new ruling granted individual states the authority to determine the legality of abortion within their borders. As a result, several states – such as California, Oregon, New Mexico, New York, Ohio and more – continue to permit abortion, albeit with varying conditions and regulations, according to the Guttmacher Institute.

“Even as we celebrate, we are reminded that this is not the end, but the beginning of a critical new phase in our efforts to protect human life. Despite this momentous legal victory, sobering and varied challenges lie ahead of us," Burbidge said in the statement. "Over the past year, while some states have acted to protect preborn children, others have tragically moved to enshrine abortion in law—enacting extreme abortion policies that leave children vulnerable to abortion, even until the moment of birth.”

He maintains the Church’s right to fight for the rights of the unborn.

"May all people of faith and good will work together to proclaim that human life is a precious gift from God," Burbidge said in his full statement. "That each person who receives this gift has responsibilities toward God, self, and others. And that society, through its laws and social institutions, must protect and nurture human life at every stage of its existence.”