Top U.S. bishops on Wednesday formally made their fight against a White House mandate for reproductive services the church’s top priority, saying “this struggle for religious freedom” demands their immediate attention.

The statement, issued by the leadership of the U.S. Conference for Catholic Bishops, came at the end of a closed, two-day meeting and comes as some close to the bishops say the men are concerned that their campaign is faltering in the public square.

“This dispute is not about access to contraceptives but about the government’s forcing the church to provide them,” the statement read.