A federal judge has granted a temporary health care mandate injunction to close to 200 Catholic employers.

The preliminary injunction says the employers do not have to provide coverage for contraceptives, especially those that cause abortions, and will not be subject to all fines and penalties for not providing those items.

The Catholic Benefits Association filed the lawsuit against the Obama Administration’s “Affordable Care Act” in March claiming it violated their religious freedom.

“The harm posed to these plaintiffs absent relief is quite tangible-they will either face severe monetary penalties or be required to violate their religious beliefs,” U.S. District judge David Russell wrote in his ruling.

Lawyers for the plaintiffs were very pleased with the ruling.

“This ruling is especially gratifying because this lawsuit, alone among the HHS contraceptive mandate cases, includes three groups of Catholic employers-“houses of worship” that are, by regulation, exempt; non-exempt ministries like colleges, Catholic Charities, and healthcare institutions; and Catholic-owned for profit businesses,” Martin Nussbaum, CBA General Counsel, told CNS News.