The Little Sisters of the Poor, a Catholic religious order dedicated to serving the elderly poor, are once again facing a court battle over a government contraception mandate. The Little Sisters of the Poor filed an appeal late on Friday, December 12, asking to be exempt from having to violate their religious beliefs.
“The 14-year legal crusade against the Little Sisters has been needless, grotesque, and un-American,” said Mark Rienzi, president of Becket and lead attorney for the Little Sisters, in a statement provided to Aleteia.
“The States have no business trying to take away the Little Sisters’ federal civil rights. The Third Circuit should toss the States’ lawsuit into the dustbin of history and uphold the protection the Little Sisters already won at the Supreme Court … twice," he said.
Despite the Little Sisters' victories at the Supreme Court regarding the requirement to cover contraceptives, and a federal government rule in 2017 that exempted the Little Sisters of the Poor and other faith-based groups from the requirement, states have continued to try to pass rules of their own.
In 2025, a federal court sided with the states of New York and Pennsylvania, stripping the Little Sisters of their exemption. The Little Sisters of the Poor have asked the federal court to appeal this ruling.
“For nearly 200 years, our order has welcomed the elderly poor and dying into our homes as we would welcome Christ Himself,” said Mother Loraine Marie Maguire of the Little Sisters of the Poor in a statement provided to Aleteia.
She continued, “It is painful that we have spent more than a decade defending that mission in court. We simply want to continue our work without being forced to violate our faith, and we pray Pennsylvania and New Jersey will end this needless harassment.”
Oral argument in the case is expected in early 2026.
