First it leaked out this morning that Notre Dame was going to sue the Obama Administration over its new rule that employers were required to provide co-pay free contraception, sterilization, and 'morning-after' pills in their health plans.

It turns out they are not alone.

The Archdiocese of New York, the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C and over 40 other Catholic institutions are also suing the administration in a dozen jurisdictions, according to a report from The Daily News. They say the rule violates their 1st Amendment right to the free exercise of religion.

The Catholic League promised "There will be more. And depending on how the U.S. Supreme Court rules next month on the constitutionality of ObamaCare, this may just be the beginning.

It's an all-out blitz.

The Catholic bishops originally had the initiative in their political battle with the administration, until Congressional Republicans held an all-male hearing on the issue and Rush Limbaugh called Georgetown student Sandra Fluke a 'slut'. Suddenly the battle over the new mandate became a 'war on women," and Catholic officials got very quiet.

Well they've come back with a united message now and a unified legal attack. The different organizations have banded together under a united campaign "Preserve Religious Freedom."

The opening video makes the case that the Archdiocese of Washington would not qualify as a religious institution under the Administration's new rules and would therefore face the choice of violating Church teaching or pay fines amounting to $4.2 million the first year it violated the rule.

It's an enormous pushback and it is only just beginning.

UPDATE: Here's the full list by jurisdiction:

1. D.D.C. Lawsuit

o Archdiocese of Washington

o Consortium of Catholic Academies

o Archbishop Carroll High School

o Catholic Charities of D.C.

o The Catholic University of America

2. E.D.N.Y. Lawsuit

o Diocese of Rockville Centre

o Catholic Health Services of Long Island

o Catholic Charities of Rockville Centre

o Archdiocese of N.Y.

o ArchCare

3. W.D.Pa. (Erie Div.) Lawsuit

o Diocese of Erie

o St. Martin Center

o Prince of Peace Center

4. W.D.Pa. (Pitt. Div.) Lawsuit

o Diocese of Pittsburgh

o Catholic Charities of Diocese of Pittsburgh

o Catholic Cemeteries Association of Diocese of Pittsburgh

5. N.D.Tex. (Dallas Div.) Lawsuit

o Diocese of Dallas

6. N.D.Tex. (Fort Worth Div.) Lawsuit

o Diocese of Fort Worth

7. S.D. Ohio (Columbus Div.) Lawsuit

o Franciscan University of Steubenville

o Michigan Catholic Conference

8. S.D.Miss. (Gulfport Div.) Lawsuit

o Diocese of Jackson

o Catholic Charities of Jackson

o Vicksburg Catholic School

o St. Joseph’s Catholic School

o Diocese of Biloxi

o De l’Epee Deaf Center Inc.

o Catholic Social & Community Services Inc.

o Resurrection Catholic School

o Sacred Heart Catholic School

o St. Dominic Health Services

9. N.D.Ind. (South Bend Div.) Lawsuit

o The University of Notre Dame

10. N.D. Ind. (Fort Wayne Div.) Lawsuit

o Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

o Catholic Charities of Fort Wayne-South Bend

o St. Anne Home

o Franciscan Alliance

o Our Sunday Visitor

o University of St. Francis

11. N.D.Ill. Lawsuit

o Diocese of Joliet

o Catholic Charities of Joliet

o Diocese of Springfield

o Catholic Charities of Springfield

12. E.D.Mo. (St. Louis Div.)

o Archdiocese of St. Louis

o Catholic Charities of St. Louis