SAN ANTONIO — After a historic Supreme Court ruling, abortion rights and access is now up to the states. The highly controversial ruling brought out loud voices from both sides of the issue.
Archbishop of San Antonio Gustavo Garcia-Siller said he was "truly heartened and overjoyed by today's historic ruling." In a statement, Arcbishop Garcia-Siller called for the nation to commit to more resources and policies that support mothers, fathers, children, and families.
"The Catholic Church has a long and proud history of providing this assistance through programs such as pregnancy shelters, food pantries, financial support, parenting classes, and myriad other services," he said.
For Lori Stockstiel, President of the National Council of Jewish Women San Antonio (NCJW SA), the Supreme Court ruling feels like an infringement on her religious freedoms. Under Jewish law, a fetus is not considered a person. For Stockstiel, personally, she believes the soul enters the body when a baby takes it's first breath.
"I can't speak for the whole Jewish community, but my understanding is approximately 85 percent of us believe this that in all cases, the mother’s life takes precedence," Stockstiel said.
Whether it is for the emotional or physical well-being of the mother, Jewish Law considers abortion to be healthcare, according to NCJW SA.
"My religion says that we may have to have an abortion and now the Supreme Court has basically taken that right away," she said.
Stockstiel said she was heartbroken when the ruling came down.
While members of the Catholic Church focus on supporting pregnant parents, Stockstiel said her organization is committed to helping people seeking abortions navigate access to safe procedures. She also plans to continue fighting for abortion rights.