A new federal regulation mandating that birth control be made available at Catholic colleges is sparking an outcry from Catholic bishops across the country that oppose the measure.
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As a part of the 2010 Affordable Care Act, free birth control was designated a preventative service that be covered without a co-pay.
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While Planned Parenthood supporters applaud the measure, the Catholic Church is taking a different stance on the issue, stating that these new guidelines force the church to defy their standards.
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Bishops are urging Catholics across the country to speak out against free birth control stipulations in the healthcare plan, issuing this letter that illustrates to Catholics how to file a letter of objection regarding the insurance mandate.
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This is not the first time the Church has interfered with the progression of rights for women and other groups seeking to be federally recognized. When the Obama administration ruled that defining marriage between one man and one woman as unconstitutional, Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York declared a hard line front in opposition to the rule banning gay marriage.
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The insurance requirement goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2013. The rule exempts only organizations that hire those of their own faith. Catholic hospitals and colleges are not considered religious employers.
