Rachel is Weeping for Her Children: Theological Reflections on Reproductive Justice and Maternal Health

Theological reflection that employs themes including the dignity of the person, solidarity with the vulnerable, participation in the common good, and the principle of subsidiarity, all through an antiracist and anti-misogynist lens, yields a framework for reproductive justice that better captures lived experiences of reproductive oppression and points toward the kinds of practices and policies that actually support women and children. This essay focuses on the shameful rates of maternal and infant morbidity and mortality for Black woman and children in the United States. Any adequate ethic of reproductive justice from a Catholic perspective must take its lead from the experiences and advocacy of women of color. Working for intersectional reproductive justice must take the form of lending support and solidarity to the innovative grassroots work of Black women.