The new pro-life chair of the U.S. Catholic bishops wants pregnant women who are struggling or fearful to know they are not alone.
Bishop Michael Burbidge of Arlington, Virginia, told CNA hours after being elected to his new position on November 16: “I would like for them to know that they are not alone in such a heartfelt way.”
“We, as the Catholic Church, will be there for you, regardless of your religious affiliation,” the 65-year-old bishop added.
“We are eager to accompany you and provide you with the necessary support,” he stated, mentioning everything from prayers and counseling to financial assistance and medical treatment. “We will be by your side every step of the journey. Therefore, do not be afraid.”
Burbidge was selected as chair of the bishops’ Committee on Pro-Life Activities at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ annual fall assembly in Baltimore. Burbidge has been a longtime advocate for the unborn. Burbidge’s predecessor, Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, was elected as the bishops’ new vice president prior to the unexpected election.
Burbidge, who was born in Philadelphia in 1957, attended St. Charles Borromeo Seminary after graduating from high school and was ordained as a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in 1984. He was appointed the rector of his former seminary in 1999 after becoming an honorary prelate of Pope John Paul II, beginning in 1998.
Prior to his arrival in Arlington in 2016, he served as an auxiliary bishop of Philadelphia beginning in 2002 and as bishop of Raleigh, North Carolina beginning in 2006.
Burbidge disclosed to CNA that his appointment as pro-life chair was unexpected and emphasized that he feels “extremely gratified.”
The focus of his new position will be the “joy of the Gospel” or “reaffirming the joy that so many parents have in bringing a child into the world,” he said.
“This is the Gospel of Life: sharing the joy of life itself, which is a tremendous gift,” he explained. “The joy of being created in the image and likeness of God and seeing one another as such”
He advocated the establishment of a pro-life culture in which abortion is inconceivable.
While acknowledging what he termed the “harsh reality” of misinformation and extreme proposed legislation, he emphasized that the Catholic Church holds the truth — that “all life is sacred and comes from God.”
Burbidge stated that the pro-life committee’s priorities will remain consistent, with a focus on advocacy, witness, and service, following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in a ruling that allows states to determine abortion policy.
“I believe the post-Dobbs decision has taught us that we still have a lot of work to do,” he said, referring to the decision that overturned Roe. We are celebrating the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but our work has just begun.
This includes engaging public officials, bringing religion into the public sphere, and energizing the Catholic faithful, he explained.
He referred to the overturning of Roe as a “huge victory.”
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to remember and honor all those who have gone before us, maybe who are only seeing this from heaven, who began praying the rosary outside of abortion clinics for years and years when abortion was first legalized,” he continued. God never allows our efforts to be in vain.
In 1973, Burbidge was a senior in high school when Roe v. Wade became the law of the land.
“Even at a young age, I recall being traumatized. And certainly, attending a Catholic high school made us aware of the stakes,” he said. “I could never comprehend that… In our country, the taking of innocent lives is legal.
He added, “I never tire of doing my small part, as we all do, to say this… is wrong. This cannot be.”