After the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a call to Catholics to pray and fast during Friday’s Memorial to Our Lady of Fatima, the Minnesota Catholic Conference put up a Facebook post inviting parishioners to pray the rosary.

The USCCB's call came via press release in response to threats that have arisen after a draft of the Supreme Court’s opinion in the latest abortion case was leaked to the media. The case it heard this year was Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. The release notes that abortion advocates have threatened to disrupt church services and intimidate certain Supreme Court justices ahead of the official handing down of the high court’s abortion decision. 

“As we await the Supreme Court Dobbs decision join us and Catholics across the nation in fasting and praying the Rosary on Friday, May 13, the Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima,” the Minnesota Conference said online. The Minnesota Conference is the public policy voice of the church in the state. 

The release included a list of prayer intentions from Archbishop Jose Gomez of Los Angeles, president of the USCCB, and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities. "For our nation, for the integrity of our judicial system, and that all branches of government be dedicated to seeking the common good and protecting the dignity and rights of the human person, from conception to natural death” were among the items on the prayer list. 

The USCCB said, citing the Catechism, says the Catholic Church is firm in its stand against abortion. "Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law (No. 2271).” 

The Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima is a May 13 celebration marking the anniversary of Mary's appearance before three children in 1917 in Fatima, Franciscan Media says. Upon appearing before them, Mary instructed the children to pray a rosary for the end of World War I, world peace, for the conversion of Russia and its dedication to Her Immaculate Heart, and for sinners.