Recognizing religious freedom or denying healthcare? 5 reactions to Little Sisters Supreme Court ruling

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Thursday, July 09, 2020

Becket

Nuns rally before Zubik v. Burwell, an appeal brought by Christian groups demanding full exemption from the requirement to provide insurance covering contraception under the Affordable Care Act, is heard by the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, March 23, 2016. | Reuters/Joshua Roberts

The religious liberty law firm Becket, which represented the Little Sisters before the high court, celebrated the Supreme Court's decision in favor of their clients.

Becket President Mark Rienzi said in a statement on Wednesday that he believed “America deserves better than petty governments harassing nuns.”

“The Court did the right thing by protecting the Little Sisters from an unnecessary mandate that would have gutted their ministry,” he stated.

“Governments don’t need nuns to distribute contraceptives. But they do need religious groups to care for the elderly, heal the sick and feed the hungry. These governments all have real work they ought to be doing rather than dividing people with old and unnecessary culture wars.”