Major Archdioceses , Notre Dame , and Other Catholics Agencies Unleash Flurry of Lawsuits Against HHS Birth Control Mandate Today

There appears to have been some rather coordinated filing of Lawsuits against the HHS Birth Control mandate today. Notre Dame , many Catholic Dioceses, and other Catholic Institutions were involved.

See from Mirrors of Justice Notre Dame (and others) file federal-court lawsuit challenging HHS mandate

Cardinal Dolan statement is here via the Bishops big office in D.C. See  Cardinal Dolan Applauds Church Agencies As They Challenge HHS For Violating Religious Freedom



..in a May 21 statement applauded 43 dioceses, hospitals, schools and church agencies for filing 12 lawsuits around the nation saying the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services mandate violates religious freedom..

According to Rocco Palmo via twitter these include the ( arch)dioceses of Washington, St Louis, Dallas, Ft Worth, Pittsburgh.

I expect more to follow.

Updates- Appears Our Sunday Visitor was on the lawsuit list. They have an op ed here that is linked .

 Both the Anchoress see Breaking: OSV, Notre Dame, Others File Lawsuit -UPDATED and Ed Morrissey see Breaking: 43 Catholic institutions file suits over HHS mandate are gathering reactions and links

 The entire list is here

Close to home I noted that the many Dioceses in the Fed 5th Circuit ( Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi) were active today. Those filing in Fed District Courts in the 5th Circuit are:

5. N.D.Tex. (Dallas Div.) Lawsuit

 Diocese of Dallas

6. N.D.Tex. (Fort Worth Div.) Lawsuit

 Diocese of Fort Worth


8. S.D.Miss. (Gulfport Div.) Lawsuit


 Diocese of Jackson
Catholic Charities of Jackson
Vicksburg Catholic School
 St. Joseph’s Catholic School
 Diocese of Biloxi
De l’Epee Deaf Center Inc.
Catholic Social & Community Services Inc.
Resurrection Catholic School
Sacred Heart Catholic School
St. Dominic Health Services

 Here is the Archdiocese of Washington D.C. Lawsuit

An overview of the Archdiocese of St Louis Press Conference on Lawsuit plus links

From the Catholic Deep South an article on Catholic Church actions in both Dioceses of Mississippi. Here is a letter the Diocese of Biloxi's Bishop sent out.  Further the Diocese of Biloxi has set up a legal defense fund to help defray the cost.

Besides local lawyers this is the Law Firm that is heading up the Church's Lawsuit nationwide.

George Weigel has a good column here on today's actions. See The Mandate War At stake is nothing less than the future of civil society in the United States