Soon after anti-abortion activists from throughout the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the annual March for Life, the Diocese of Green Bay held a pro-life dinner that drew a large crowd.

“A new generation rises to the challenge of building a culture of life among us, defending, caring for and nurturing every soul from conception forward,” the Diocese posted on Facebook Jan. 22.

The weekend event came after Friday’s national march. At the gathering in the nation’s capital, Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge called for Catholics to continue their efforts to minimize abortion in the country.

“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 tweeted on Jan. 20. "Our work is not over; it is just beginning!” 

This year’s March for Life was the first since the Supreme Court eliminated the federal constitutional right to abortion last summer, according to CNN Politics.

Since 1974, the March for Life has been conducted in protest of the Roe v. Wade decision. On Jan. 22, 1974, the first March for Life took place on the West Steps of the Capitol, with an estimated 20,000 Americans rallying in defense of the unborn. Since then, the numbers of Americans participating in the pro-life protest has only 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 issued a blessing in a message to Burbidge, chair of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's Committee on Pro-Life Activities, for all participants in the March for Life, which was read aloud at the National Prayer Vigil for Life.

Burbidge acknowledged the success of the overturning of Roe v. Wade, but he says there will still be work to do, according to Vatican News. Bishops in the U.S. will continue this work, such as trying 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.