As tens of thousands of pro-life activists marched to the Supreme Court on Friday for the annual March for Life, President Joe Biden issued a pro-abortion proclamation to commemorate the anniversary of the now-obsolete Roe v. Wade decision. 

“I call upon Americans to honor generations of advocates who have fought for reproductive freedom, to recognize the countless women whose lives and futures have been saved and shaped by the Roe v. Wade decision, and to march forward with purpose as we work together to restore the right to choose,” Biden said in his proclamation. 

The president officially recognized Jan. 22 as the 50th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, saying the Supreme Court “got Roe right 50 years ago.”

The decision, which was handed down on Jan. 22, 1973, proclaimed abortion to be a constitutional right and barred states from enforcing most abortion restrictions. On June 24, the U.S. Supreme Court fully reversed that decision and ruled that the constitution does not protect a right to have an abortion, returning the issue of abortion to the states to regulate as they see fit. 

In his announcement, Biden rebuked the “conservative majority” in the current Supreme Court that overturned that precedent. He said millions of women live in states that impose “extreme bans” on abortion where doctors can be jailed for performing abortions. 

Biden lauded his consistent pro-abortion record as president: He signed executive orders to make it easier to get an abortion across state lines, to expand access to abortion-inducing pills, and to create a task force on a government-wide response to ensure access to abortion. The president has also urged Congress to codify the Roe v. Wade abortion language into federal law.

At Odds with Church Teaching

Although Biden is the nation’s second Catholic president, his pro-abortion position is directly at odds with Church teaching. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, life must be respected and protected from the moment of conception. Pope Francis and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) have consistently supported pro-life legislation and Catholic pro-life activists are consistently a major part of the March for Life. 

The USCCB celebrated the National Prayer Vigil for Life on the eve of the march to show its support for the marchers. According to the USCCB, the Vatican provided a statement, which stated Pope Francis’ full support for the march and his gratefulness to those who defend the right to life for the preborn. 

“The building of a truly just society rests upon respect for the sacred dignity of every person and the welcome given to each one as a brother or sister,” Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin wrote to the USCCB. 

“In this regard, His Holiness [Pope Francis] trusts that Almighty God will strengthen the commitment of all, especially the young, to persevere in their efforts aimed at protecting human life in all its stages, especially through adequate legal measures enacted at every level of society,” Parolin continued. “To those taking part in the March for Life, and to all who support them by their prayers and sacrifices, the Holy Father gladly imparts his blessing as a pledge of strength and joy in the Lord.”