Washington D.C., Jan 12, 2016 / 20:52 pm
As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear a religious freedom case against the federal contraception mandate, the EWTN Global Catholic Network has filed a brief with the court.
"Our brief argues that the government's mandate and its subsequent 'accommodation' scheme seek to coerce EWTN and other religious organizations into violating our strongly held beliefs," EWTN Chairman and CEO Michael Warsaw said Jan. 11. "The Supreme Court needs to find the mandate to be unconstitutional."
EWTN Global Catholic Network was founded by Mother Angelica, a Franciscan nun. It is the largest religious media network in the world and is among hundreds of organizations to challenge the mandate. However, its legal appeal is still pending with the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard oral arguments in February 2015.
The Department of Health and Human Services mandate requires employers to offer health insurance plans covering contraception, sterilization and some drugs that can cause early abortions.