NEW YORK, NY (Catholic Online) - The New York Archbishop explained that the Church "didn't ask for this fight, but we're not going to back away from it."

Archbishop Dolan's remarks referred to Obama's new contraceptive edict, issued through the Department of Health and Human Services. The edict originally mandated that private employers, including religious institutions, had to provide free contraceptive services to employees. 

This sparked a strong backlash as the public realized this edict would force churches and private individuals to choose between following their conscience and following the law. 

The backlash, spearheaded by the Catholic Church, forced Obama to change the plan to mandate insurance companies pay for the coverage instead of employers. 

Few people were fooled. The tactic was a bait-and-switch, and employers would still be paying for the coverage, albeit indirectly. But money is money and it is fungible; insurance companies would still collect and employers would still be paying. 

Obama's mandate remains an intrusion into the world of faith and Archbishop Dolan made this clear during his interview. 

"You've got a dramatic, radical intrusion of a government bureaucracy into the internal life of the Church. Our problem is the government is intruding into the life of faith in the church that they shouldn't be doing," Dolan said in the interview. 

He continued, "I also don't think the government and politics should be overly involved in the church."

Dolan and the bishops of the Catholic Church have been standard-bearers for the crusade to protect life and to keep the state out of the faith and matters of religious conscience. Currently several court cases have been brought against the administration on constitutional grounds. It is hoped these cases will uphold the freedom of conscience of all Americans and religious institutions over the edicts of the state.

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