After Planned Parenthood released their 2020-2021 annual report stating they were proud to provide abortions to thousands of American women, Milwaukee Archbishop Jerome Listecki said Catholics should remain committed to the tenet that life begins at conception.

“As a Church that advances the Culture of Life and as members of a civil society, we welcome the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court in the Dobbs case,” Listecki said in a statement on the Archdiocese of Milwaukee's website, referring to the Court's ruling earlier this summer. “While no doubt we all feel a renewed hope for the future, let us also remember that our struggle to preserve the sanctity of human life is only just beginning. Abortion laws now return to the individual states. Our challenge is to continue to promote that human life begins at conception and needs to be protected at all times.” 

Planned Parenthood came out with its annual report listing the number of abortions and other services provided in 2020. Under “abortion care,” the group said, “Abortion is essential health care that cannot wait for the end of a pandemic or the whims of politicians.”

The group performed 383,860 abortions in 2020. The report comes after the rejoicing of many Catholics and the Church throughout the world with the Dobbs Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. 

Catholic News Agency writer Katie Yoder recently noted that Planned Parenthood performed approximately 41% of abortions in the United States in 2020. Yoder explained how Planned Parenthood continues to receive government funding for abortions, with $633.4 million for the 2020–2021 fiscal year.

Catholic pro-life activists condemned the report. Among the critics, Students for Life America and Live Action founder Lila Rose recently tweeted, “Shut them down now!” 

The Catholic Church has maintained a strong stance against abortion for centuries, regardless of evolving biological theories about when exactly life begins; the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said.

"'Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion,'" the Catechism says. "'This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law' (No. 2271)."

A Gallup Poll conducted in May 2021 found that the majority of Americans do not support unrestricted access to abortion. Almost half (48%) of the respondents said they believe abortion should only be legal under certain circumstances, while 19% said they believe abortion should be illegal in all circumstances and 32% said they believe abortion should be legal in all cases. 

After the Dobbs ruling, Listecki voiced support for women.

“The Church will continue to support all women — especially those experiencing unplanned pregnancies where abortion seems like the only or easy solution — by providing the spiritual, emotional and financial support necessary through our parishes, support networks and pregnancy centers,” he said in the statement.