New York Nuns Face Jail Over Free Cancer Hospice After Transgender Mandate Sparks Lawsuit

Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne sued New York over law forcing them to violate Catholic beliefs at their free hospice

Apr. 13, 2026 at 5:10am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A dimly lit, cinematic painting of an old, weathered hospice building with peeling paint and a worn, wooden exterior, bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conveying a sense of solemnity and timelessness.The Dominican Sisters' Rosary Hill Home has provided free, compassionate end-of-life care for over a century, but now faces an uncertain future under New York's transgender mandate.Hawthorne Today

For over a century, the Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne have operated a free cancer hospice in New York, caring for the terminally ill without government funding or insurance. But a new state law requiring long-term care facilities to comply with transgender ideology has put the sisters' religious mission at risk, forcing them to sue the state to protect their right to operate according to Catholic teachings.

Why it matters

This case highlights the growing tension between expanding LGBTQ rights and the ability of religious organizations to uphold their beliefs, especially when providing essential charitable services. It raises questions about the limits of state power to enforce ideological conformity, even on institutions that serve the most vulnerable populations at no cost to taxpayers.

The details

New York's 2024 LGBTQ Long-Term Care Facility Residents' Bill of Rights mandates that all nursing homes and long-term care facilities in the state treat residents according to self-declared gender identity, use preferred pronouns, and structure operations around transgender ideology - regardless of the religious convictions of the providers. Facilities that refuse face escalating fines, license revocation, court orders, and even jail time for 'willful' noncompliance.

  • In March 2024, the New York Department of Health sent the Dominican Sisters a 'Dear Administrator' letter outlining the state's demands.
  • On April 6, 2026, the Dominican Sisters filed a federal lawsuit seeking protection for their religious freedom and ability to continue their charitable hospice ministry.

The players

Dominican Sisters of Hawthorne

A community of Catholic nuns who have operated a free cancer hospice, Rosary Hill Home, in Hawthorne, New York for over 125 years.

Kathy Hochul

The Democratic Governor of New York who signed the LGBTQ Long-Term Care Facility Residents' Bill of Rights into law.

Mother Marie Edward, O.P.

The General Superior of the Hawthorne Dominicans, who said the state's demands violate the sisters' Catholic faith and threaten their ability to continue their charitable hospice ministry.

Catholic Benefits Association (CBA)

The organization assisting the Dominican Sisters in seeking federal court protection for their religious freedom and hospice operations.

Martin Nussbaum

The attorney representing the Dominican Sisters, who argued the state's law discriminatorily provides religious exemptions for some faiths but not others.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We are consecrated religious Sisters and have one mission. 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.”

— Mother Marie Edward, O.P., General Superior of the Hawthorne Dominicans

“New York's gender ideology mandates not only violate our Catholic values, they threaten our existence with fines, injunctions, license revocation, and even jail time. This is why we were forced to go to court to seek protection of our religious exercise and freedom of speech so that we can continue our ministry to the poor.”

— Mother Marie Edward, O.P., General Superior of the Hawthorne Dominicans

What’s next

The federal lawsuit filed by the Dominican Sisters is pending, with the outcome set to determine whether New York will respect the religious freedom of the nuns to operate their charitable hospice according to Catholic teachings.

The takeaway

This case highlights the growing conflict between expanding LGBTQ rights and the ability of religious organizations to uphold their beliefs, even when providing essential charitable services at no cost to taxpayers. It raises fundamental questions about the limits of state power to enforce ideological conformity and the importance of protecting genuine pluralism in a diverse society.