Federal court to force Catholic nuns to cover contraception, abortion for employees

A federal judge has ruled against the Little Sisters of the Poor as well as a Trump administration religious conscience rule and sided with Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the states' case against the order of Catholic nuns, arguing that the Catholic organization must provide abortion and contraceptives in their healthcare plan. The Little Sisters of the Poor have vowed to appeal the court decision.

The states have insisted and fought for years to force the Catholic organization to provide abortion and contraceptives in their employee healthcare plans. There have been two Supreme Court rulings in favor of the religious group, but that has not stopped challenges. Obama-appointed Judge Wendy Beetlestone ruled against the religious group that helps the elderly poor. 

Legal advocacy group for religious liberties, Becket, posted to X, "In a nationwide ruling against a Trump Administration religious conscience rule, a federal district Court today ruled against the Little Sisters of the Poor. The Court sided with Pennsylvania and New Jersey in their years-long effort to force the Little Sisters of the Poor to provide contraceptive and abortion coverage in their healthcare plans. Today’s ruling keeps that effort alive, and the Little Sisters have vowed to appeal the decision."

The ruling stated that the religious conscience rule established during the first Trump administration, which exempted groups like Little Sisters of the Poor from having to abide by the Affordable Care Act mandate on contraceptives and abortions and was upheld in the 2020 Supreme Court case, was “arbitrary [and] capricious." The court said that their ruling was vacating the exemptions "in their entirety."

Diana Thomson, the senior attorney with Becket, said, “Instead of dropping the case, Pennsylvania and New Jersey revitalized their cutting-floor arguments that they chose not to pursue at the Supreme Court last time and brought them in the district court," per the Catholic News Agency.

The district court accepted the argument from New Jersey and Pennsylvania “even though the Supreme Court already blessed the rules,” Thompson added. The attorney also said that the court was simply “trying to find a loophole” in the Supreme Court cases that have ruled in favor of the religious organization.

“I assume the Trump administration will appeal also,” Thompson added. “But the Little Sisters’ appeal is already on file.”