“Peace Be with All of You”: Catholics for Choice Reflects on Pope Leo XIV’s First Anniversary
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Thursday, May 7, 2026
Contact: Lilian Medina Romero
Phone: (703) 688-2410
Email: lromero@catholicsforchoice.org
“Peace Be with All of You”: Catholics for Choice Reflects on Pope Leo XIV’s First Anniversary
WASHINGTON — Catholics for Choice, which serves the pro-choice Catholic majority, released the following statement on the first anniversary of Pope Leo XIV’s papacy and what his first year means for the pro-choice Catholic community:
Emily Harrison, Senior Director of Digital Organizing & Engagement, said:
“On May 8, 2025, Pope Leo XIV stepped onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica, greeting the world with a simple message: ‘Peace be with all of you.’ Throughout the first year of his papacy, Pope Leo lived out that invitation to spread peace. He spoke against war and violence. He spoke out against the inhumane treatment of immigrants. He stood in conflict zones, sat with the imprisoned, and carried the suffering of people around the world in his heart and his prayers. At the core of his message, he advocated for the right to raise your family in a safe and healthy environment — a core tenet of both reproductive justice and Catholic social teaching.
“Together with millions of Catholics and others moved by his actions, Catholics for Choice thanks Pope Leo for living out his message throughout opposing those who have tried to weaponize the Gospel against our communities. As pro-choice Catholics, we know that accompaniment is at the heart of our faith tradition. We are heartened by Pope Leo’s pastoral presence and advocacy for the oppressed and marginalized in the United States and around the world.
“Encouraged by his unwavering commitment to the core teachings of our faith, we urge him to bring that spirit of accompaniment to the millions of Catholics who navigate their reproductive journeys. They also deserve a church that walks with them.”
Lauren Bailey, Director of Organizing & Engagement, said:
“In that same spirit, we offer Pope Leo a faithful invitation. Pope Leo has defended the human dignity of migrants, prisoners, and victims of war. For that, we celebrate. This same dignity deserves to be given to people in their reproductive lives. The peace that Pope Leo calls us to is not merely the absence of violence, but the presence of active peace, manifested in policies and systems that pave the way to flourishing. A person needs safety and peace to bring a child into the world. They need the freedom to decide if, when, and how they are ready to become a parent.
We ask Pope Leo to see what the majority of Catholics already see: The same forces oppressing the vulnerable he has courageously defended are oppressing people in their reproductive journeys. When access to contraception, abortion, and full reproductive healthcare is denied, it is the impoverished, immigrants, and people of color who pay the highest price. Many of them are already parents, are people of faith, and sit in our pews. Inspired by his leadership, we call on Pope Leo to extend pastoral care to all those making personal decisions in good faith about their reproductive health. We do, and always will, support that work.”
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Catholics for Choice exists to amplify the voices of the pro-choice Catholic majority and counter Catholic institutional overreach around reproductive freedom.
