In lieu of the annual anti-abortion marches in Washington, D.C. and around the country, Archbishop of Denver Samuel J. Aquila will host a virtual “Respect Life Mass” on Saturday morning, with other parishes in Northern Colorado holding similar services.

March for Life is the annual advocacy event in opposition to the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade, which established a constitutional right to abortion. The gathering in Washington, D.C. typically attracts thousands of attendees, with a rally occurring outside of the Supreme Court.

“The annual rally will take place virtually and we are asking all participants to stay home and to join the March virtually,” march organizers wrote on the website, citing concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and security at the U.S. Capitol. “We will invite a small group of pro-life leaders from across the country to march in Washington, D.C. this year. These leaders will represent pro-life Americans everywhere who, each in their own unique ways, work to make abortion unthinkable and build a culture where every human life is valued and protected.”

The livestreamed event will take place on Jan. 29.

Although last year Donald Trump became the first sitting president to attend the March for Life, reproductive rights opponents do not benefit from the same political context this year: Democrats control the White House and both chambers of Congress. Additionally, a ballot initiative that the Catholic Church backed to restrict abortions after 22 weeks failed to pass in Colorado in November.

“This is a challenging time in our country.?Strong winds are blowing to overturn our core values honoring the value, worth, and dignity of all human life at every age and every stage of development,” said Lynn Grandon, program director of the Respect for Life Office at Catholic Charities of Denver.