For Immediate Release
Fredericksburg, VA (June 28, 2019) – American Life League president, Judie Brown, issued the following statement today regarding Missouri’s last functioning surgical abortion mill:
The battle has been long. The state of Missouri is hours away from becoming the first state in America since 1974 to have ZERO abortion clinics! American Life League has worked with many of the state’s leaders over the last 40-plus years, building to this moment.
We have had and have seen the most impressive pro-life leadership in the state, including a faithful Catholic community led for many years by Cardinal Raymond Burke, among others. Among his many victories for the babies and Christ more than 15 years ago, then Archbishop Raymond Burke blazed a trail of truth by saying he would deny pro-abortion Catholic politician John Kerry Holy Communion unless Kerry repented of his support for abortion. Burke’s action created uproar, indignation, and hate among “cowardly” bishops who reviled Burke in public. But like so many other courageous actions among Missourians including Burke, the seeds of truth were planted. They started to sprout and beat back evil acts and groups including Planned Parenthood.
Now, here we are in 2019. In a few hours, Missouri will have ZERO abortion clinics. Here are the facts:
- Planned Parenthood currently operates eight clinics in the state of Missouri.
- Only one of those eight Planned Parenthood clinics—the Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood in St. Louis—commits abortion at this time.
- RHS is currently the only abortion facility in Missouri.
- If RHS has to stop doing abortions as of 5:00 PM today, there will be no other licensed abortion facility in the state.
- Missouri will become the first state to have no licensed abortion facility since 1974!
- RHS Planned Parenthood will not automatically close. It can stay open and provide the non-abortion services it already provides.
- All eight Planned Parenthood offices in the state can stay open, but none can perform abortions.
These are the facts.
For Missouri to be the first state where no surgical or medical abortions occur would be historic in so many ways. Stopping Planned Parenthood from this deadly practice is a huge step forward for the babies.
Our work in that state over the past 40 years and collaboration with others has built to this moment. We hope it occurs.
American Life League is the nation’s oldest grassroots, Catholic, pro-life organization. Its president, Judie Brown, has led the organization since its 1979 beginning. She has served three terms on the Pontifical Academy for Life—appointed twice by Pope John Paul II and again by Pope Benedict XVI.
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