The assault on our rights by the government has been almost too much to bear. Now a decision has finally been made.
Because a federal judge made a landmark ruling that changes the First Amendment for good.
Victory for Religious Freedom in North Dakota Ruling
In a landmark decision, a federal judge in North Dakota has delivered a resounding rebuke to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), shielding Catholic employers from Biden-era mandates that clashed with their faith.
The ruling, issued by Judge Daniel M. Traynor, halts the EEOC’s efforts to force Catholic organizations to comply with regulations under the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act that would require accommodating abortion, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and surrogacy. It also blocks enforcement of controversial LGBT “anti-discrimination” rules, including pronoun mandates and access to single-s*x spaces.
The lawsuit, brought by the Diocese of Bismarck and the Catholic Benefits Association (CBA), challenged the EEOC’s overreach as a direct violation of religious liberty.
“The US District Court for the District of North Dakota entered judgment Wednesday,” Bloomberg Law reported, noting Traynor’s finding that the EEOC’s rules “would cause the Catholic Benefits Association and the Bismarck Diocese to violate their ‘sincerely held religious beliefs without satisfying strict scrutiny under the’ Religious Freedom Restoration Act.”
For Catholic groups, the decision is a critical safeguard against federal overreach that threatened their core values.
Catholic Employers Celebrate Protection of Faith-Based Mission
The Catholic Benefits Association, representing over 9,000 members, hailed the ruling as a decisive triumph. “The court granted permanent protection from the EEOC’s efforts to force Catholic employers and others to accommodate abortion, IVF, or surrogacy, and to eliminate single-s*x spaces and adopt preferred pronouns,” the CBA declared in a Wednesday press release.
The decision ensures that Catholic ministries can continue their work without being coerced into practices that contradict their beliefs.
Doug Wilson, CEO of CBA, underscored the significance of the victory, pointing to the group’s persistent legal battles against government overreach. “The fact that we have had to sue the government five times and won every single time clearly illustrates both the strength of our legal strategy and the misguided ideological nature of the efforts to undermine our faith-driven ministries,” Wilson said.
He emphasized that the ruling empowers CBA members to pursue their mission unhindered. “Guided by their Catholic faith, our members contribute innumerable hours and resources in service to society every year, out of love for Jesus Christ and our fellow man,” he added. “This ruling lets us continue to serve without the threat of the EEOC persecuting us for following our faith.”
Free Speech and Pro-Life Values Upheld
The ruling also delivers a significant win for free speech, striking down EEOC guidance that sought to regulate workplace speech and behavior. “Going beyond the medical procedure aspects of the case, yesterday’s permanent injunction also addressed the speech aspects of the Enforcement Guidance that the EEOC issued on hostile work environments,” the CBA stated.
The court ruled that Catholic employers cannot be compelled to “refrain from speaking or communicating against the same [immoral matters] when such is contrary to the Catholic faith, use pronouns inconsistent with a person’s biological s*x; or allow persons to use private spaces reserved for the opposite s*x.” This protection ensures that Catholic organizations can maintain their commitment to both free expression and their doctrinal stance.
The CBA highlighted the irony of the EEOC’s interpretation of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, which was initially supported by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops for its pro-worker and pro-life intent.
“The US Conference of Catholic Bishops supported the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act as it made its way through Congress because it was ‘pro-worker, pro-family and pro-life,’ according to a statement from Bishop Michael Burbidge,” the CBA noted. However, the EEOC’s rules “turned its intentions on its head by including accommodation for abortion and the other immoral aspects that CBA sued over,” transforming a well-meaning law into a tool for ideological enforcement.
A Stand Against Federal Overreach
The ruling marks a broader pushback against federal agencies accused of imposing progressive mandates at the expense of religious liberty. For the Diocese of Bismarck and the CBA, the lawsuit was a necessary stand to protect their ability to operate in alignment with Catholic teachings.
The court’s decision reinforces the principle that religious organizations cannot be forced to abandon their beliefs to comply with government edicts that fail to meet the stringent requirements of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
As Catholic employers breathe a sigh of relief, the ruling serves as a reminder of the ongoing tension between faith-based organizations and federal policies that critics argue prioritize ideology over constitutional protections. For now, the CBA and its members can continue their charitable work, confident that their religious convictions are shielded from what they see as bureaucratic overreach.
