{"id":2417803,"date":"2025-03-31T06:30:01","date_gmt":"2025-03-31T10:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/catholic-charities-challenges-non-religious-label-at-supreme-court\/"},"modified":"2025-03-31T06:31:35","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T10:31:35","slug":"catholic-charities-challenges-non-religious-label-at-supreme-court","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/catholic-charities-challenges-non-religious-label-at-supreme-court\/","title":{"rendered":"Catholic Charities challenges &#8216;non-religious&#8217; label at Supreme Court"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">16<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fcatholic-charities-challenges-non-religious-label-at-supreme-court%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2417803&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Catholic Charities is challenging a state court ruling that labels its work as &#8220;non-religious&#8221; unless it includes preaching or proselytizing. The organization, which has been assisting the needy in Wisconsin for over a century, seeks to overturn this ruling in the Supreme Court, as it believes it should be permitted to join the Catholic Church&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/joe-bidens-choice-to-oversee-covid-unemployment-benefits-lost-600-million-in-coronavirus-relief-to-nigerian-scammers\/\" title=\"Joe Biden\u2019s Choice To Oversee COVID Unemployment Benefits Lost 0 Million In Coronavirus Relief To Nigerian Scammers\">unemployment insurance program<\/a>. The Wisconsin Supreme Court previously decided that because Catholic Charities serves a broad community adn does not exclusively evangelize, it does not qualify for religious exemptions under state law. The group\u2019s lawyers argue that its services are fundamentally motivated by Catholic principles, while the Trump governance supports Catholic Charities, warning against <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/8-ways-government-shielded-joe-biden-from-the-laptop-from-hell\/\" title=\"8 Ways Government Shielded Joe Biden From The \u2018Laptop From Hell\u2019\">potential government interference<\/a> in religious matters. The Supreme Court&#8217;s decision will have significant implications for how <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/white-house-releases-list-of-president-trumps-accomplishments-and-it-is-historic\/\" title=\"White House Releases List of President Trump\u2019s Accomplishments \u2013  And It Is Historic!\">faith-based organizations<\/a> qualify<\/a> for religious designations and exemptions.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Catholic Charities challenges &lsquo;non-religious&rsquo; label at Supreme Court<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tpd-featured-video\">\n<div id=\"Brid_24824\" class=\"brid\" style=\"width:1280;height:720;\"> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/charity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Catholic Charities<\/a> has spent more than a century caring for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/wisconsin\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Wisconsin<\/a>&rsquo;s poor &mdash; but a state court says that work isn&rsquo;t &ldquo;religious&rdquo; unless it involves preaching or proselytizing.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Supreme Court<\/a> will hear arguments Monday in a First Amendment case brought by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3260572\/supreme-court-catholic-charities-evade-state-unemployment-taxes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior<\/a>, which says it&rsquo;s being penalized for living out its faith without preaching it. The group, which has served Wisconsin&rsquo;s neediest for more than a century, is asking the justices to overturn a state court ruling that deemed its work &ldquo;non-religious&rdquo; &mdash; barring it from joining the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/catholic-church\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Catholic Church<\/a>&rsquo;s unemployment insurance program.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/in_focus\/3362189\/planned-parenthood-braces-for-supreme-court-fight-over-medicaid-funding\/\">Planned Parenthood braces for Supreme Court fight over Medicaid funding<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3363310\/sotomayor-warn-against-challenging-judicial-independence-trump-attack-legal-system\/\">Sotomayor warns against challenging judicial independence as Trump attacks legal system<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3362408\/doj-supreme-court-alien-enemies-act-deportations\/\">DOJ asks Supreme Court to overturn hold on Alien Enemies Act deportations<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Under <a href=\"https:\/\/docs.legis.wisconsin.gov\/statutes\/statutes\/108\/02\/15\/h\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Wisconsin law<\/a>, religious nonprofit organizations can opt out of the state-run program and join a church-run alternative. But the state&rsquo;s high court said Catholic Charities didn&rsquo;t qualify, because it serves everyone &mdash; not just Catholics &mdash; and doesn&rsquo;t evangelize.<\/p>\n<p>That&rsquo;s precisely the point, according to the group&rsquo;s lawyers with the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. &ldquo;Since Catholic Charities operates out &lsquo;of the religious motive &lsquo;of the Catholic Church &hellip; serving the underserved,&rsquo; its primary purposes are religious,&rdquo;&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/becketnewsite.s3.amazonaws.com\/20250128094613\/CCB-v-WI-Merits-Brief.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">according<\/a> to the group&rsquo;s high court petition.<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/trump-administration\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">Trump administration<\/a> agrees, filing a brief supporting Catholic Charities and warning that Wisconsin&rsquo;s stance could lead to unconstitutional government meddling in church affairs. In its filing, the administration argued that the state misinterpreted both federal and constitutional law by excluding Catholic Charities from a religious exemption under Wisconsin&rsquo;s unemployment program, an exemption modeled on the federal Unemployment Tax Act.<\/p>\n<p>The Wisconsin Supreme Court <a href=\"https:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/257093\/wisconsin-supreme-court-says-catholic-charities-cannot-claim-religious-tax-exemption\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">ruled against<\/a> Catholic Charities last year, finding that the organization did not qualify for a religious exemption under state law because its services were not &ldquo;inherently religious.&rdquo; In a 50-page decision, the court acknowledged that Catholic Charities was motivated by faith but concluded that its activities &mdash; such as assisting the poor, elderly, and disabled &mdash; could just as easily be performed by a secular nonprofit group. Because the charity does not limit its services to Catholics or attempt to evangelize, the court determined it was not &ldquo;operated primarily for religious purposes,&rdquo; as the exemption requires.<\/p>\n<p>Justice Department lawyers wrote in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/DocketPDF\/24\/24-154\/351205\/20250304170713231_24-154%20Divided%20argument.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"\">brief<\/a> that the Wisconsin Supreme Court wrongly focused on whether the charity&rsquo;s activities appeared &ldquo;secular&rdquo; rather than considering the religious motivation behind them. That approach, the DOJ said, not only misreads the statute but also violates the First Amendment by entangling the government in religious determinations and discriminating against faith-based organizations that express their mission through service rather than proselytization.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/3260572\/supreme-court-catholic-charities-evade-state-unemployment-taxes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title=\"SUPREME COURT TAKES CATHOLIC CHARITIES BID TO EVADE STATE UNEMPLOYMENT TAXES\">SUPREME COURT TAKES CATHOLIC CHARITIES BID TO EVADE STATE UNEMPLOYMENT TAXES<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The high court&rsquo;s ruling could affect how faith-based organizations nationwide qualify for religious exemptions, and whether religious expression must look like a Sunday sermon to count.<\/p>\n<p>For now, Catholic Charities&rsquo; mission continues across 60 communities. But its future as a legally &ldquo;religious&rdquo; group may depend on nine justices who&rsquo;ll decide whether mercy, minus the preaching, still counts as ministry.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_24824\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"playlist\":\"24824\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Catholic Charities contests &#8216;non-religious&#8217; label at Supreme Court<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2633,"featured_media":2417804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AP24348706218445.webp","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[46770,37612,32274,32275],"class_list":["post-2417803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-catholic-charities","tag-legal-challenge","tag-religious-freedom","tag-supreme-court"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AP24348706218445.webp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2417803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2633"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2417803"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2417803\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2417807,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2417803\/revisions\/2417807"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2417804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2417803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2417803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2417803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}