There is a need for practicing Catholics to "get the word out" on these important issues, he said.
Congressman Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.), who is also Catholic, warned that the mandate presents "an unprecedented form of government coercion."
"It is a different worldview that is operative," he stated.
Following the passage of the Affordable Care Act, Fortenberry introduced the Respect for Rights of Conscience Act in the House of Representatives to preserve the conscience rights of employers and health care providers across the country.
He explained that the bill simply restates "a principle that has been operative in our health care system" for many years.
However, despite initially gaining momentum, including the support of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and more than half of the U.S. House, the legislation has stalled in Congress.
Fortenberry emphasized the importance of fighting the mandate in order to protect America's fundamental freedoms.
"No American should be forced to choose between their faith and their job," he said. "No one should be forced to choose between their conscience and their livelihood."
Michelle La Rosa is deputy editor-in-chief of Catholic News Agency. She has worked for CNA since 2011. She studied political philosophy and journalism at the University of Dallas.