With January pro-life activities underway, many are still wondering how Issue 1 in Ohio passed so decisively. How did decades of advocacy overturn Roe v. Wade only for the dignity of life to face such a harrowing defeat at the ballot? 

The answer is partly Catholic political amnesia. We have forgotten who we are and how faith in Jesus Christ transforms politics. 

We have forgotten that the Catholic Church has converted politics before. Christians ended the brutal violence of Roman gladiatorial games. Catholic bishops and religious sisters created the first public hospitals and poor houses. Christianity inspired the abolition of slavery, the spread of education and the recognition that race, gender and class do not determine a person’s dignity. 

Ad if we are faithful to our calling today, Catholics will transform politics again. We can create a world where women, children and families are free from abortion. But to do that, we must recover a truly Catholic approach to politics. 

First, we need to remember how the dignity of life touches all of politics. Catholic schools have a role to play here. Catholic schools can bring together science and civics to show young people why the preborn and the prisoner on death row both have a right to live. Catholic educators can marry the study of religion and economics to prove that dignifying labor and supporting women are questions of human dignity. 

Caring for women, before and after pregnancy, helps Catholics to remember the dignity of life. Also, Catholic ministries for women in need show the world that defending the vulnerable and protecting life in the womb are one and the same. Volunteering for Walking with Moms in Need or donating to organizations like Mommies Matter that provide assistance to pregnant women make our pro-life beliefs credible.

Second, we need to remember how to put our faith into political action. Many Catholics already try to be faithful citizens in the voting booth. But faithful citizenship also requires forming our consciences, following legislation and making our voices heard beyond the ballot. This can be a challenge. 

This is why the Catholic Conference of Ohio (CCO) empowers Catholics in our state to engage with politics in the light of faith. As the official voice of the Catholic Church on public policy, the Catholic Conference educates Catholics about legislation and promotes policies that defend human dignity in the General Assembly. 

As we move forward from Issue 1, the Catholic Conference of Ohio will advocate for laws that support women and make it easier to receive resources through pregnancy and beyond. For example, the Conference is supporting Senate Bill 159, which would create a tax credit for donations to pregnancy resource centers. More than ever, these organizations need support.

The CCO is also supporting House Bill 290 to create the Thriving Families Tax Credit. The cost of raising a child is one of the reasons people turn to abortion. Therefore, directly supporting each family with children defends the dignity of life. The Conference will advocate for laws that make it easier for a woman to choose life, such as expanding Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women, establishing paid parental leave and growing networks of support.

Just as abortion takes a life to solve a crisis, the death penalty also contributes to the culture of death. The Catholic Conference has fought for 40 years to defend life from capital punishment and is urging legislators to pass House Bill 259 and Senate Bill 101, which would abolish the death penalty in favor of life without parole. 

Activate your faithful citizenship by visiting the Catholic Conference of Ohio website at www.ohiocathconf.org and following @OhioCatholics on social media. The Conference helps Catholics build a civilization of love by keeping them informed on active legislation and creating action alerts to make it easy to contact your legislators.

The passing of Issue 1 certainly brings sorrow. But it cannot make us shy away from our calling as faithful citizens. Now is the time to remember how Catholics have transformed politics through the ages and we can do so again. 

For decades, the political battle for life was fought with legal arguments. That time has passed. Now, Catholics must bring an undeniable moral argument. The same argument that has won in every age. The consistent example of Christian love for those in need will convert the world.


Will Kuehnle is the associate director for social concerns at the Catholic Conference of Ohio.