By Stuart Hamilton
June 24th, 2026 marks the 4 year anniversary of the Dobb’s v. Jackson US supreme court decision which overturned the federal legalization of abortion. In April, the last independent abortion mill in KY–EMW–was demolished. Last week I stopped by the now vacant lot to say a prayer at the place where hundreds of thousands of unborn human lives were ended since EMW’s founding in 1981. It was a good opportunity to remember how far we’ve come in protecting the unborn in the state of Kentucky, and consider the work that still lies ahead.
Prior to Dobbs, I was working at Bethlehem Highschool, and one Saturday a month we would bus students from Bardstown, KY to pray in front of EMW. I had been attending those Saturday morning prayer sessions off and on since my early 20’s. At 7am, regardless of rain, snow, or sweltering heat, there were always pro-life warriors like Sr. Mary Prisca, rosaries in hand, peacefully praying for the mothers, their unborn babies, and an end to the evil of abortion.
I would be remise if I didn’t mention the brave work of side walk counselors like Ed Harpring, the late Donna Durning, and Sisters for Life founder Angela Minter (among many others) whose constant presence at EMW throughout those years was a great encouragement. It’s impossible to calculate how many women’s minds were changed because of their work–how many children (and subsequent grand children and great-grandchildren) were given the gift of living full lives, because their worth as God’s image bearers was recognized.
Now, EMW is demolished, and surgical abortion has been outlawed in Kentucky, except in “life of the mother” cases. This is a blessing many of us didn’t think we would see in our life times. However, in many ways the war against abortion has become even more difficult to fight.
Abortion hasn’t ended in Kentucky. Neighboring states still have legal surgical abortion, and Planned Parenthood provides transportation to those facilities. Chemical abortion drugs can be ordered from outside the state without doctor consultation or parent permission. This makes accurate reporting of abortion stats nearly impossible, and the victims of the abortion industry are increasingly hidden from public view.
Recently, members of the pro-life community have become somewhat divided on which type of legislation should be advanced to address these trends. Some have adopted an abolitionist position, supporting legislation that would criminalize abortion–arguing that women who obtain abortions should be legally charged with murder. Others, along with the KY bishops, believe that legislators, judges, and the culture are not ready for this step. They argue for an incremental approach, focused on solutions that cut off the availability of mail order chemical abortions, and, even more importantly, provide supports for women who are in crisis pregnancies. This debate will continue for the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile, the pro-abortion community has no intention of giving up. After a failed attempt to overturn the Kentucky’s abortion laws on religious grounds, a trio of women recently managed to win a much more narrow ruling in a separate lawsuit involving in vitro fertilization (IVF). In that case, a Jefferson County judge struck down part of Kentucky law that states human life begins at conception. Although his ruling was limited to the context of IVF, this may have ramifications for future legislation.
These are just some of the unique challenges we now face. With God’s continued grace, we hope to meet them with charity and truth, so that one day, like EMW, abortion will be nothing but a memory. This Saturday, June 20th, Right to Life Louisville is partnering with the Sisters for Life to aid in their annual Celebration of Life and Father’s Day walk. At 9:00am, as part of the celebration, the walk will stop at the former EMW site. All are welcome to come, pray, and remember how far we’ve come and how far we have yet to go.
Archdiocese Of Louisville Family Ministries 