In conjunction with last week's March for Life in Washington, D.C., Phoenix Bishop John Dolan recently put out a video as part of the Gospel of Life appeal for funds.

“Today I would like to briefly address the cause of the Gospel of Life and the protection of the vulnerable on this occasion of our annual Gospel of Life appeal,” Dolan said in a YouTube video that the Diocese of Phoenix posted on its Facebook page. 

“This appeal lifts up our Catholic concern and determination to speak out in defense, service and celebration of every human life from conception to natural death,” Dolan said in his message, adding that he’s proud to proclaim the Gospel of Life funding appeal.

The drive happens about the same time of year that the national March for Life occurs.

The March for Life has been conducted since 1974 in protest of the Roe v. Wade decision. On Jan. 22 of that year, months after the Roe v. Wade decision was announced, the first March for Life took place in the nation’s capital, with an estimated 20,000 Americans making their voices heard 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. 

This year’s march was the first to occur since the Supreme Court last year overturned Roe v. Wade’s constitutional right to abortion, according to CNN Politics.

Michael Burbidge, bishop of the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, and chair of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Committee on Pro-life Activities, used the march as an opportunity to remind Catholics that the fight for life is not over, even though today’s Supreme Court has moved the country in the right direction.

“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!” 

Pope Francis issued a blessing to all the participants in 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.

According to Vatican News, 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.