Pro-life and social justice work can merge to help mothers in need

Rachel Dougherty Hendricks is a Catholic wife and mother of five who has served as the coordinator for Respect Life Ministries in the Diocese of Trenton, since 2017. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame, she worked in the pharmaceutical industry, teaching disease state management, pharmacology and presentation skills to sales and management teams. While embracing full-time parenthood, Rachel’s interests in medical and bioethical questions has continued to inform her extensive involvement in pro-life and pro-family endeavors which, as she tells Charlie Camosy in an interview for OSV News, she believes have the potential to bring pro-lifers and social justice champions together in a post-Roe world.

CHARLIE CAMOSY OSV News

Charlie Camosy: In recent writing and talks I’ve described this post-Roe moment as “Pro-Life 3.0.” What do you understand that to mean? And what’s your view of the opportunities presented at this particular time, for the pro-life movement?

Rachel Hendricks: After Roe’s overturn last June, we realized pro-life work was entering an inflection point … I understand Pro-Life 3.0 as a sort of new beginning, harkening back to the days of standing in solidarity on the issues of human dignity, regardless of political party … This moment is calling us to realign our efforts in a way that would rejoin forces with social justice advocates. Banding together would help reduce the demand for abortions by working on the structural and societal obstacles that often leave women feeling coerced to choose abortion.

Camosy: What do you think this means, practically speaking, in states like New Jersey which are extremely unlike- ly to pass significant laws in support of prenatal justice?

Hendricks: In New Jersey, abortion access is increasing. Last summer our governor and legislative leadership sadly began efforts to make New Jersey an “abortion sanctuary” state. … I believe there is great hope for measures to be enacted that can ensure all women have “access” to choosing life. Here is the reality: Challenges like housing, poverty, intimate partner violence and limited access to adoption services often restrict a woman’s “access” to choosing life. By working to mitigate the obstacles … we can open up a space where choosing life is possible for every pregnant woman.

Camosy: What is the Catholic Church doing on the ground in N.J. in this regard? Has the U.S. bishops’ “Walking with Moms in Need” program made any difference?

Hendricks: Many parishes are shifting their ministry focus from the divisive areas of politics to that of service and mercy. In the Diocese of Trenton, the “Walking With Moms in Need” (WWMN) initiative is proving to be a timely vehicle to advance pro-life ministry work ...

These efforts are slowly but surely making a difference on at least two fronts. One, as WWMN parishes … seek ways to fill gaps in resources, more women in need are accessing those resources. Second, the “walking with” part of this initiative is allowing opportunities for Catholics to journey a bit closer with the pregnant mom in need .... Building a culture of life is the work of the entire Church … [and] interconnected ministries.

Camosy: What about public policy? Is there room for the pro-life movements to embrace state and even federal level policies in support of women and families?

Hendricks: Absolutely. … We need to be realistic about the overwhelming need that is out there. The Church itself does not have the financial resources to serve every pregnant mom and family in need, so it is imperative that we ... responsibly engage in those areas of common-sense public policy that support women and families, and that encourage active fatherhood. … Finding common ground in these challenging exchanges will lead us to the types of structural support and protection for vulnerable pregnant women and families that will allow a culture of life to prosper. We’re already seeing bipartisan support on the federal level for things like the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers and Pregnancy Workers Fairness Acts. At the state level we’re seeing unprecedented GOP support for expanded Medicaid programs for postpartum care. All of this is so encouraging and it is my sincere hope that it continues.

Charlie Camosy is professor of medical humanities at the Creighton School of Medicine and moral theology fellow at St. Joseph Seminary in New York.