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Transcript by Newsy: http://www.youtube.com/user/NewsyPolitics?feature=guide (Image source: The Mississippi Press) BY MATTHEW PICHT A coalition of more than 40 Catholic institutions filed 12 lawsuits Monday against the Obama administration. They are protesting a federal mandate requiring insurance providers to give health coverage for birth control and contraceptives. Fox News explains. "The lawsuits, filed in federal courts across the country, argue that the contraception mandate violates the religious freedom of Catholic institutions. Of course, federal health officials say they adopted this contraception rule to improve women's health." NBC's Alex Wagner says the Catholic Church's position on birth control and contraceptives alienates women whenever it reaches the public eye. "Every time these kind of social issues come up, I think it just makes independent women, married women, working women think, 'this is crazy.'" However, Notre Dame University president Rev. John Jenkins told the Examiner this lawsuit is not an attempt to restrict access to contraceptives. "Many of our faculty, staff and students -- both Catholic and non-Catholic -- have made conscientious decisions to use contraceptives. As we assert the right to follow our conscience, we respect their right to follow theirs." The lawsuits focus on the definition of 'religious employer.' A definition the plaintiffs claim is too narrow. In a video released to CNS News, Cardinal Donald Wuerl called for the administration to acknowledge the religious nature of all Catholic institutions, not just churches. "All the administration has to do is continue the long-standing practice of recognizing that our schools, our hospitals, and our charities, are all part of the mission of the church." Politico notes that these lawsuits reject attempts at compromise by the Obama administration, including one which gave any religious institution a one year exemption from the mandate. "During that time, the administration has said it would work on a compromise. But the plaintiffs say that there is no way to compromise on the matter and that the administration has not yet delivered any new policy." The contested policy is part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.