Affirming Respect for All Human Life

In 2018 the Society of Jesus in the US issued a statement which reiterated the Jesuits’ support for the unborn, calling abortion “part of the massive injustices in our society.”

“A spirit of callous disregard for life shows itself in direct assaults on human life such as abortion and capital punishment.  We also seek justice in ensuring that pregnant women and mothers have the resources they need to care for their children and live full lives.”

Father Timothy Kesicki, SJ, president of the Jesuit Conference of Canada and the U.S., says, “From the beginning, St. Ignatius founded the Jesuits for the promotion of the faith and the progress of souls in the teachings of Christ. As Jesuits, we continue this mission, to accompany the child in the womb and the community into which each one of us has been born. Jesuits and their colleagues must “find ever new and creative ways to bring the protection of the unborn and solidarity with mothers in difficult situations into whatever mission they serve.”

In 2022, the Society issued a similar statement when the Dobbs Decision overturning Roe v Wade was made public. “As we wrote in our 2018 pro-life statement Protecting the Least Among Us, “The most fundamental building block of a just social order is respect for human life. Until men and women individually and collectively make a profound commitment to the value and dignity of all human life, we will never find the true peace, justice and reconciliation God desires for us.”

“We also affirm our belief that building what Saint John Paul II called a “culture of life” requires a stronger social safety net than our country has today. To be truly pro-life, we must support all women, expectant parents and their children by advocating for policies like universal health care, paid parental leave and a more equitable distribution of our country’s abundant resources.”

We approach this topic as pastors, scholars, social activists and educators. No part of our ministry is removed from the essential work of promoting and protecting the dignity of every child of God. We pray that the Lord might continue to inspire our efforts and to help us always see the face of Christ revealed in each person, both before their birth and after it.”

Protecting the Least Among Us: A Statement of the Society of Jesus in the United States