The Supreme Court has weighed in on the lawsuit Notre Dame (the largest Catholic University in the U.S) filed against the HHS mandate (Obamacare) compelling religious groups and businesses to pay for drugs for their employees that may cause abortions.

In January 2013, a U.S District judge had dismissed the lawsuit Notre Dame filed against the HHS . Then, a three-judge panel from the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the decision on a 2-1 vote.

Today the Supreme Court ordered the lower court to reconsider its ruling that denied a Catholic university the freedom to follow its faith. 

In appealing that decision, the University of Notre Dame brought its request to the Supreme Court — saying the lower court decision made it the only nonprofit religious ministry in the nation without protection from the HHS mandate. The Supreme Court’s ruling today vacates the entire lower court decision forcing Notre Dame to comply and the 7th Circuit must now review its decision taking into consideration the entire Hobby Lobby case upholding that company’s right to not be forced into compliance.

The Obama administration has relied heavily on that lower court decision in other courts around the country, arguing that it should be able to impose similar burdens on religious ministries like the Little Sisters of the Poor (A catholic congregation of nuns).

Today the Supreme Court vacated the Notre Dame decision entirely, and sent the case back to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider its aberrant ruling in light of the recent ruling in the Hobby Lobby case protecting religious freedom.

This is a major blow to the Obama's contraception mandate.

Notre Dame’s pursuit of higher education is defined by its religious convictions. Its mission statement reads: “A Catholic university draws its basic inspiration from Jesus Christ as the source of wisdom and from the conviction that in him all things can be brought to their completion.” Its fight to stay true to its beliefs has brought it all the way to the Supreme Court – and back to the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.

According to Mark Rienzi, Senior Counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, over 750 plaintiffs in the other nonprofit cases have been granted protection from the unconstitutional mandate, which forces religious ministries to either violate their faith or pay massive IRS penalties.

Recent polls show Americans disagree with forcing companies like Hobby Lobby to obey the mandate. Half of voters now oppose a government requirement that employers provide health insurance with free contraceptives for their female employees. Fifty-one percent (51%) disagree and say employers should not be required to provide health insurance with this type of coverage. Eleven percent (11%) are not sure.

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