Archdiocese of Washington Files Reply to Government Response with U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit in Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington, et al. v. Kathleen Sebelius, et al.

Friday, April 11, 2014

The Archdiocese of Washington and its co-plaintiffs today filed their reply to the U.S. Government’s March 28 brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit regarding the archdiocese’s legal challenge to the HHS mandate.

Today’s filing is the final step in the briefing process whereby the case will be reviewed on its merits. Oral arguments are scheduled for May 8, 2014. The archdiocese and its co-plaintiffs are hopeful that the final disposition of this case will support religious freedom and rights of conscience.

On December 31, 2013, the Court of Appeals granted an injunction which has prevented the government from enforcing the HHS mandate against the archdiocese and its co-plaintiffs while this appeal is pending. As such, the archdiocese and its affiliates have not been forced to choose between paying crippling fines or facilitating the provision of abortion-inducing products, sterilizations, and contraceptives to their employees during the appeal.

For more information about the lawsuit brought by the Archdiocese and its co-plaintiffs, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington, et al. v. Kathleen Sebelius, et al., D.C. Cir. case no. 14-5021, please visit www.PreserveReligiousFreedom.org.

—

The Archdiocese of Washington is home to over 620,000 Catholics, 139 parishes and 96 Catholic schools, located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.

Contact:
Office of Media & Public Relations
Secretariat for Communications
301-853-4516
[email protected]