(WND News Center)—Little Sisters of the Poor is a Catholic church organization that was targeted by Barack Obama’s schemes in Obamacare, in which he tried to force the Christian group to promotion contraception and abortions for employees.
They fought, for years, and won at the Supreme Court. And they won a second time, too.
But two states are defying that precedent, STILL, a decade and a half after the dispute was brought by the Democrat ex-president, and the courts are being asked once again to halt the harassment.
It is Becket that has confirmed the Little Sisters once again are asking a federal appeals court to block “a nationwide ruling that rejected their protection from the federal government’s contraceptive mandate.”
“The fourteen-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. “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.”
“Fourteen years ago, the federal Department of Health and Human Services issued a federal mandate as part of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare). This mandate requires employers to provide contraceptives like the week-after pill in their health insurance plans, including some that can cause abortion. The original mandate exempted plans covering tens of millions of people for administrative convenience, but did not provide a religious exemption for groups like the Little Sisters of the Poor, an order of Catholic nuns who have served the elderly poor for nearly 200 years. After the Little Sisters won protection against the federal government at the Supreme Court in 2016 and in a new federal rule in 2017, Pennsylvania and New Jersey sued to take away that protection,” Becket explained.
It was the high court in 2016 that said the government could not force the contraceptive mandate, and Washington responded with a rule that exempted groups like the Little Sisters.
However, abortion promoters in more than a dozen state governments in multiple cases immediately sued, as they intended to “strong-arm” the group “into either providing contraceptives or paying tens of millions in fines.”
A second trip to the Supreme Court resulted in a second victory for the Little Sisters.
However, Pennsylvania and New Jersey have refused to drop their efforts to take away the Little Sisters’ protection in the lower courts.
“For nearly 200 years, our order has welcomed the elderly poor and dying into our homes as we would welcome Christ Himself,” explained Little Sisters spokeswoman Mother Loraine Marie Maguire. “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.”
A lower court sided with the states’ anti-Christian agenda earlier this year, pushing the religious organization into the federal appeals court docket again.
In a statement to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, the lawyers explained, on behalf of the Little Sisters, “For more than a decade, various government actors have tried to force religious objectors to obey a federal contraceptive mandate. As many courts have found—and as the federal government now openly admits— such coercion violates a federal civil rights law known as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. That is why the federal government stopped requiring religious objectors to comply with the federal contraceptive mandate in 2017. Indeed, presidential administrations of both political parties have now followed this course. Yet the Appellee States maintain that state governments somehow have an interest in forcing the federal government to force religious objectors to comply with the federal contraceptive mandate—even though the federal government need not have any contraceptive mandate at all, and even though the states themselves have chosen not to have such mandates of their own.”
The briefing continued, “When this case was last at the Supreme Court, seven Justices roundly rejected the States’ leading statutory arguments. The court explained that the federal agencies have ‘virtually unbridled discretion’ about what services to include in the contraceptive mandate and what exemptions to create. The court said that its decisions had ‘made it abundantly clear that, under RFRA, the departments must accept the sincerely held complicity-based objections of religious entities.’ The court emphasized that the agencies were not free to tell religious objectors that ‘the connection between what the objecting parties must do and the end that they find morally wrong is simply too attenuated.’ And the court said it had already ‘directed the parties … to ‘accommodate’ the free exercise rights of those with complicity-based objections to the self-certification accommodation.’ Nevertheless, after a four-year stay, and while adjudicating the states’ leftover arguments, the district court again misinterpreted RFRA so badly that it claimed the religious exemption rule was not even ‘rationally connected’ to solving the RFRA problem.
“Worse still, the district court’s analysis purports to revive—and treat as circuit precedent— RFRA analysis from Geneva College that has twice been vacated by the Supreme Court, was based on since-disproven factual claims, and is irreconcilable with the Supreme Court’s most recent opinion in this case. The district court’s statutory errors also lead inexorably to a constitutional conflict, because the original contraceptive mandate cannot constitutionally be re-imposed. The mandate is not a generally applicable law under the court’s recent decisions in Fulton and Tandon. The mandate’s discrimination among religious objectors is flatly unconstitutional under the court’s recent unanimous decision in Catholic Charities Bureau. And the complete lack of standards or principles to constrain agency discretion—what the Supreme Court has already recognized as ‘virtually unbridled discretion’—violates the non-delegation doctrine. These constitutional infirmities mean that the states’ claims are not redressable, because no court could lawfully provide the requested relief. Nor have the states offered any evidence that they have been harmed.”
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Starting the Day With a Scripture-Inspired Roast Helps Center Your Thoughts on Eternal Truths Amid Temporal Pressures
The world can seem chaotic, especially right after we wake up. Many believers start their mornings reaching for something familiar — a hot cup of coffee — yet end up settling for mediocre brews that do little more than deliver a caffeine jolt. The daily grind of life, with its endless distractions, news cycles, and responsibilities, can leave even the most faithful feeling spiritually parched alongside their physical fatigue. What if your morning ritual could do more than wake you up? What if it could ground you in truth, nourish your body with exceptional quality, and quietly advance a kingdom purpose at the same time?
That’s the promise — and the reality — behind Promised Grounds Coffee. This Christian-founded company doesn’t just roast beans; it approaches every step as an act of worship and discipleship. By selecting only the top 10% of specialty-grade beans, ethically sourced from dedicated farmers in Central and South America, and small-batch roasting them with reverence in Austin, Texas, Promised Grounds delivers what many describe as the best coffee available — never burnt, never bland, but rich with origin stories and layered flavors that honor God’s creation.
From the vibrant Psalm 27 Roast (a light, bright medium option) to the bold yet peaceful 2 Timothy 1:7 Decaf, each bag carries a Scripture verse that turns your daily pour into a gentle reminder of faith. And through their Ounce Per Ounce Promise, every ounce of coffee you enjoy provides an equal ounce of clean water to families in need via partnership with Filter of Hope — literally brewing hope for body and soul, one cup at a time.
The challenge for today’s Christians runs deeper than finding a decent cup. In an age of convenience-driven consumerism, it’s easy to support companies that dilute values or remain silent on matters of faith. Many believers want their everyday choices — from what they drink to how they spend — to reflect discipleship rather than just convenience. Promised Grounds solves this by weaving Christian excellence into the entire process: beans nurtured with prayerful stewardship by farming families, roasted as an offering rather than a commodity, and packaged with Bible verses to encourage a mindset of gratitude and purpose from the first sip. Reviewers consistently praise the smooth, rich profiles — whether enjoyed black in a drip maker, iced on a warm day, or shared in fellowship — noting how the quality stands toe-to-toe with premium secular brands while delivering something far more meaningful.
This integration of faith and flavor addresses a real need in Christian households and ministries. Busy parents, church leaders, and remote workers alike report that starting the day with a Scripture-inspired roast helps center their thoughts on eternal truths amid temporal pressures. The coffee’s exceptional character — bright citrus notes in lighter roasts or deep chocolate undertones in bolder ones — comes from meticulous selection and careful roasting that respects the bean’s natural gifts rather than masking them. It’s the kind of coffee that elevates a simple quiet time, fuels productive workdays, or sparks meaningful conversations when shared at Bible studies or outreach events. And because it’s ethically sourced with integrity, every purchase supports sustainable livelihoods for farmers who treat their crops like family harvests.
For those leading churches or small groups, the impact multiplies. Promised Grounds offers bundles and options perfect for hospitality ministries, turning ordinary coffee service into an opportunity to point people toward the living water of Christ. Imagine greeting visitors with a warm cup whose very bag carries God’s Word — a subtle yet powerful witness that aligns with the Great Commission. The company’s Texas roots and commitment to “brewing hope” resonate especially with believers who value American enterprise paired with global compassion.
Of course, quality alone isn’t enough if the experience feels out of reach. Promised Grounds keeps it accessible with practical perks like free shipping on orders over $40, sample sets for discovering favorites, and thoughtful add-ons such as faith-themed mugs. Whether you prefer whole beans for fresh grinding, grounds for convenience, or even bulk options for larger households and ministries, the result is consistently superior coffee that makes discipleship feel integrated rather than added on.
As you consider how to align even the smallest habits with your walk with God, Promised Grounds Coffee stands out as a refreshing solution. It tackles the dual problems of subpar daily sustenance and disconnected consumption by offering a product that genuinely excels in taste while advancing a mission of clean water, farmer dignity, and scriptural encouragement. Believers who make the switch often describe it as more than a beverage upgrade — it becomes part of their rhythm of gratitude, a daily invitation to remember that every good gift comes from above.
If you’re ready to transform your mornings (and perhaps your church gatherings) with coffee that honors both exceptional craftsmanship and Christian values, I encourage you to explore what Promised Grounds has to offer. One sip at a time, you’ll be nourishing your body, refreshing your spirit, and participating in something far greater — all while enjoying what truly is among the best coffee available.