Archbishop Lori, Cardinal Dolan Denounce Attacks On Pro-Life Centers, Urges People To 'Choose A Path Of Peace'

Church leaders are calling for peace amidst the recent attacks on pro-life pregnancy centers in the U.S.

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, who serves as the Committee on Religious Liberty and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, who serves as the chairman of the bishops' Committee on Pro-Life Activities, have both called for peace in light of the recent attacks on pro-life centers across the U.S. Most recently, attacks were reported in a pro-life pregnancy center in Oregon and New York.

"Each of us must choose the path of peace and open our hearts to the love that God has for his children," a joint statement from Archbishop Lori and Cardinal Dolan dated June 13 read, as per the Catholic Review. "O Sacred Heart of Jesus, touch our hearts and make them like your own."

The two prelates underscored that the rate of attacks have increased since the draft opinion of Supreme Court Justice Alito regarding the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Services case was leaked in May. The leaked draft implied that Roe v. Wade, the 1973 decision that legalized abortion across the U.S., may be finally overturned. The final ruling has not yet been released.

Archbishop Lori and Cardinal Dolan wrote that since the leak, many pro-life centers have been firebombed while charities that support pregnant mothers in need have been "attacked almost daily and terrorized." The two prelates also pointed out how even the lives of Supreme Court justices have been"directly threatened" by abortion rights activists. Some have marched to Justice Brett Kavanaugh in Washington while one man had been arrested for an attempt to assassinate the judge.

Also Read: Pro-Abortion Activists Admit They Firebombed Another Pregnancy Center

Pro-life Centers Being Attacked After the Possible Overturning of Roe v Wade

On Friday, the Seattle Field Division of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said it was assisting authorities in investigating a "suspicious" fire at the Gresham Pregnancy Resource Center in Oregon. According to The Blaze, the building where Christian pro-life organization First Image runs a pregnancy center was set on fire at about 3 a.m. on Friday. Authorities said that it may have been caused by an "incendiary device" that was thrown through a window.

First Image said that the firemen were able to extinguish the fire and that it was mostly contained in one room. However, fire damage was extensive while water and smoke damage affected other parts of the building. First Image CEO Luke Cirillo said in a statement that the "outrage" being directed at pro-life centers is "based on a complete misunderstanding and misrepresentation of who we are and how we have served" pregnant women in crisis.

Pro-life Group Slams Democratic Leaders for Inaction to Address Attacks on Pro-Life Centers

In Buffalo, New York, another pro-life center run by CompassCare was allegedly "firebombed" by a left-wing group. CompassCare CEO Jim Harden shared with Fox News his disappointment at how Democratic leaders are addressing the attacks on pro-life centers as of late.

Harden argued that if President Joe Biden does not "denounce this violence against pregnancy centers," it will turn into a "religious issue." He lamented that they are being "targeted" for their religious beliefs and that if Democratic leaders do not begin to denounce it, it becomes a "directed hate crime" that "should be prosecuted as such."

CompassCare's Buffalo office was also vandalized with the message "Jane was here." Harden said that Jane's Revenge, a leftist group he described as "abortion terrorists," targeted thier office and many others like theirs in the recent weeks. The U.S. government is bracing for more attacks like these in the event that Roe v Wade is overturned.