Thousands showed up for last week's March for Life in Washington, D.C., the first occurrence of the march since the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion.

The Supreme Court’s ruling in the Dobbs case last summer was praised as a step in the right direction, but Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge said Catholics and others who support the notion of life in the womb need to remain committed to the cause.

“May we be united in prayer today, as many throughout our country will gather in our nation’s capital and March for Life and for the protection of the unborn, as peaceful and courageous witnesses to the truth in love,” Burbidge said in a Jan. 20 tweet. “Our work is not over; it is just beginning!” 

The March for Life has been held yearly since 1974 in protest of the Roe v. Wade decision. On Jan. 22 on that year, months after the Roe v. Wade decision was announced, the first March for Life took place in the nation’s capital. The inaugural march drew an estimated 20,000 Americans, who voiced their support in defense of the unborn. Since then, the numbers of Americans participating in the pro-life protest has grown, with up to 100,000 people attending most years, and at least 200,000 attending the marches between 2003 and 2007, according to the March for Life website.

Pope Francis sent a blessing to those who attended this year’s March for Life. His message was read aloud at the National Prayer Vigil for Life, one of the day’s events leading up the march.

Bishops in America will continue to carry the message against abortion. They will work to abolish abortion funding policies that target vulnerable people, acting locally to limit the scope of legalized abortion at the state level, and reducing or even eliminating abortion funding, according to Vatican News.