Law signed by Gov Kathy Hochul requires nursing homes to follow gender identity rules or face penalties
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Catholic nuns who have spent more than a century caring for the dying poor are suing New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, saying a new state law could force them to choose between their faith and their mission or face fines, loss of licensing and even jail time.
"We are consecrated religious Sisters and have one mission," Mother Marie Edward, O.P., told Fox News Digital in a statement. "It is to provide comfort and skilled care to persons dying of cancer who cannot afford nursing care. We do not take insurance or government funds or money from our patients or families. The care is totally free."
"We are supported by the goodness of our benefactors," she continued. "We do this without discriminating on the basis of race, religion, or sex. We do it because Jesus taught us that, when the least among us are sick, we should care for them, as if they were Christ himself." ---More...
Catholic Nuns File Federal Lawsuit Against New York State Over ‘Preferred Pronouns’ Mandate
The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne have filed a lawsuit against the State of New York, claiming that new gender identity requirements for nursing homes violate their constitutional rights and would force them to act against their Catholic faith
The sisters, who operate Rosary Hill Home, a 42-bed facility providing free care to terminal cancer patients, lodged their complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York. The defendants include Governor Kathy Hochul and officials from the New York State Department of Health, all named in their official capacities
Now, state officials are warning the sisters and other nursing home administrators about restricting rooms and bathrooms to one sex and failing to use preferred personal pronouns for patients who identify as transgender. The state is also requiring public postings of an antidiscrimination notice
But complying with the state’s rules is not an option for them, since the directives contradict their Catholic faith, the sisters told the National Catholic Register, the sister partner of EWTN News
The Catholic Church teaches that sex can’t be changed or separated from gender, although it also says people identifying as transgender must be treated with respect and compassion
MAJOR: Catholic Nuns File Federal Lawsuit Against New York State Over ‘Preferred Pronouns’ Mandate
— Sergeant News Network (@sgtnewsnetwork)April 11, 2026
The Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne have filed a lawsuit against the State of New York, claiming that new gender identity requirements for nursing homes violate their constitutional… pic.twitter.com/vaqo3dF5u1
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