How radical is President Obama’s mandate within his health care law that forces private companies to pay for sterilizations, abortifacients and contraception?  The so-called exemptions don’t even cover a religious order of nuns!

Under the President’s health care law, commonly known as Obamacare, all insurance plans must cover sterilizations, abortifacients and contraception.   In what is likely the narrowest religious exemption in federal law only churches are exempt.  The result is that charitable organizations, schools, pro-life organizations and even convents are force to violate their faith under the President’s oppressive anti-conscience mandate. 

One such plaintiff striking back in Obama’s war on them is the Little Sisters of the Poor, founded in 1839.  The Little Sisters of the Poor is a Catholic religious institute for women founded by Saint Jeanne Jugan in France.  Sister Jugan felt the need to care for the many impoverished elderly who lined the streets of French towns and cities.  Today the Little Sisters of the Poor serve in 31 countries around the world including the United States of America. 

Mario Diaz from Concerned Women for America has a little more background:

Sister Mary Bernard has dedicated her life to the service of the elderly poor. For 44 years, she served as a superior in various homes of the Little Sisters of the Poor, whose vision is “to contribute to the Culture of Life by nurturing communities where each person is valued, the solidarity of the human family and the wisdom of age are celebrated, and the compassionate love of Christ is shared with all.”

The Sisters run 30 health care facilities for the elderly poor in the United States — from nursing homes, to intermediate care to residential or assisted living and other independent-living facilities.

As all members of their order, Sister Bernard has disregarded worldly comforts, taking vows of poverty, chastity, obedience and hospitality, in order to serve her Lord and her neighbors. The Little Sisters of the Poor actually maintain a tradition of begging, demonstrating a life of true dependence on faith.

The Sisters of today get their fighting spirit from their founder, Sister Jugan.  It is reported that once Once when Sister Jugan was begging for her order a young man hit her in the face.  She simply replied with calmness, “You gave that to me, now give me something for the elderly.”

If this is a fight between the Little Sisters of the Poor and President Obama my money is on the Sisters.  They might not have picked this battle, however they have the faith and perseverance to win it.