Planned Parenthood released its annual report listing the number of abortions provided in 2020, leading Archbishop of Philadelphia Nelson J. Pérez to assert the view that life is too precious to terminate.

“As Catholics, we believe that life is God’s most precious gift and that we share a responsibility to uphold its beauty and sanctity from conception to natural death,” Pérez said in a statement on the archdiocese’s website after this summer’s Supreme Court ruling that handed abortion decisions back to the states. 

In Planned Parenthood’s report, the group performed 383,860 abortions in 2020. Under “abortion care,” Planned Parenthood said, “Abortion is essential health care that cannot wait for the end of a pandemic or the whims of politicians.”

The report was released after many Catholics rejoiced from the Dobbs Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. 

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

Catholic pro-life activists condemned the group's purpose. Students for Life America and Live Action founder Lila Rose recently tweeted regarding Planned Parenthood, “Shut them down now!” 

The Catholic Church has long maintained a strong stance against abortion regardless of evolving biological theories about when 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 May 2021 Gallup Poll found that the majority of Americans do not support unrestricted access to abortion. Almost half (48%) of those who answered the survey said they believe abortion should be legal only under certain conditions, while 19% said they think abortion should be illegal in all circumstances and 32% said they believe abortion should be legal in all cases. 

After the Dobbs ruling, Pérez praised the Supreme Court’s decision.

"I have often said that we are a people of hope,” he said in the statement. “It is my personal hope that we can all live and work peacefully, side-by-side, to create a true culture of life in our Nation.”