December 1, 2021 / (CNA) - Catholic leaders offered statements and prayers leading up to and following the oral arguments on December 1st in the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which concerns a Mississippi law banning abortion after 15 weeks.

The arguments in favor of the law, heard before the Supreme Court, directly challenge Roe v. Wade, the 1973 ruling that legalized abortion nationwide.

"In the United States, abortion takes the lives of over 600,000 babies every year. Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health could change that,” shared Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore in a statement.

Lori, who is the chairman of the USCCB Committee on Pro-Life Activities, prayed for the Supreme Court to “do the right thing and allow states to once again limit or prohibit abortion.” In doing so, he said, the ruling would “protect millions of unborn children and their mothers from this painful, life-destroying act.”

“We invite all people of good will to uphold the dignity of human life by joining us in prayer and fasting for this important case,” he said.

The Diocese of St. Petersburg Office of Life, Justice and Advocacy held a 2-Day Prayer Campaign at three abortion facilities November 30th and December 1st. Over 200 people attended the prayer vigils located in St. Petersburg, Tampa and Clearwater. Various parishes also held Eucharistic Adoration and prayer vigils with the intention of overturning Roe v. Wade.

“Let’s send a powerful message to the Supreme Court, to elected officials, and to the public – that America is pro-life,” said Sabrina Burton Schultz, director of the Office of Life, Justice and Advocacy.

The Diocese of St. Petersburg shared a post on social media on December 1st that read, “Today the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the case that could overturn Roe v. Wade. Join us today, and until a decision is made, in praying that LIFE will win.”

On Nov. 18, the USCCB held an ecumenical prayer event to rally the pro-life faithful before the Dobbs oral arguments. The event featured prominent pro-life speakers, including Archbishop Joseph Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas.

“Our nation stands guilty of not only promoting, endorsing, and enshrining abortion across the land, but we are responsible for exporting abortion throughout the world in a sinister form of colonial imperialism,” said Naumann during the national event.

Naumann, who was the chair of the USCCB’s pro-life committee prior to the election of Archbishop Lori to the position in 2020, said the faithful need to “pray, fast, and work harder to end this pandemic of child sacrifice.”

Legal experts say the Dobbs v. Jackson case presents an ideal opportunity for the Supreme Court to reconsider previous rulings that upheld legal abortion nationwide. Decisions in high profile cases such as Dobbs tend to come at the end of the Supreme Court’s current term, which could be in late June or early July of 2022.