{"id":2607059,"date":"2026-05-26T17:24:01","date_gmt":"2026-05-26T21:24:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-declines-to-take-up-catholic-fundraising-case\/"},"modified":"2026-05-26T17:27:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-26T21:27:31","slug":"supreme-court-declines-to-take-up-catholic-fundraising-case","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-declines-to-take-up-catholic-fundraising-case\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court declines to take up Catholic fundraising case"},"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\">18<\/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%2Fsupreme-court-declines-to-take-up-catholic-fundraising-case%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=2607059&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>The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up a case brought by the U.S. Conference of catholic Bishops challenging how the church presents its \u201cPeter\u2019s Pence\u201d annual collection to parishioners. The bishops argued that deciding the dispute in civil court would violate First Amendment protections by intruding on church governance and religious autonomy.<\/p>\n<p>Despite these concerns, both lower federal courts allowed the lawsuit to proceed, concluding it could be handled using \u201cneutral principles\u201d rather then by judging inherently religious matters. The Supreme Court offered no clarification for its refusal to hear the case and did not issue additional details in its weekly orders. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson did not participate because the matter was previously assigned to her while she served on the district court.<\/p>\n<p>The bishops also received support from a range of other religious groups, including Protestants, orthodox Christians, Jews, and Muslims, which warned that leaving the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-to-hear-challenge-to-two-biden-vaccine-mandates-january-7\/\" title=\"... to Hear Challenge to Two Biden Vaccine Mandates January 7\">lower-court rulings<\/a> in place could lead to broader government interference with religious organizations\u2019 decision-making.  <\/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<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"203\">Supreme Court<\/a> declined on Tuesday to hear a case about the way one of the <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/catholic-church\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"2001\">Catholic Church<\/a>\u2018s annual collections is presented to its congregation, allowing the case to proceed in a lower court despite concerns about the government infringing on religious autonomy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops had <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/DocketPDF\/25\/25-849\/391610\/20260113161234372_USCCB%20v%20OConnell%20Cert%20Petition%20FINAL.pdf\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/DocketPDF\/25\/25-849\/391610\/20260113161234372_USCCB%20v%20OConnell%20Cert%20Petition%20FINAL.pdf\">urged<\/a> the Supreme Court to take up the case, where it was seeking to toss a lawsuit challenging the way the church\u2019s \u201cPeter\u2019s Pence\u201d offering is described to parishioners, claiming ruling against the church\u2019s collection would infringe on its religious autonomy under the First Amendment.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4581678\/supreme-court-denies-florida-lawsuit-cdls-illegal-immigrants\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Supreme Court denies Florida\u2019s lawsuit over CDLs issued to illegal immigrants<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4577878\/supreme-court-decision-death-row-iq-spares-prisoners-life\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Supreme Court decision on death row IQ case will spare prisoner\u2019s life<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4562772\/major-supreme-court-decisions-remainder-term\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>The major Supreme Court decisions remaining for this term<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSuch disputes are beyond the ken of civil courts. The Religion Clauses of the First Amendment ensure churches can decide for themselves, free from state interference, matters of church governance. That\u2019s what the Church\u2019s description and religious use of a millennium-old offering to the Pope is: a matter of church governance,\u201d the USCCB argued in its petition to the Supreme Court.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThus, the state interference required to adjudicate this lawsuit \u2014 which involves demands for lists of papal donors, accounting for the Pope\u2019s use of Peter\u2019s Pence, and disclosure of the Bishops\u2019 internal communications with the Holy See about Peter\u2019s Pence \u2014 would violate the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/christian-college-mounts-legal-fight-to-protect-male-only-pastor-policy\/\" title=\"Christian college fights legally to maintain male-only pastor policy.\">church autonomy doctrine<\/a>,\u201d the petition continued.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The high court <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/orders\/courtorders\/052626zor_6j36.pdf\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/orders\/courtorders\/052626zor_6j36.pdf\">did not elaborate<\/a> on why it declined to take up the case, and its decision was included in its Tuesday orders list alongside other cases it declined to hear. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson took no part in the decision to hear the case because it was originally assigned to her when she served on the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, before her confirmation to the Supreme Court in 2022.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/trump-announces-new-legal-team-for-impeachment-defense-after-previous-team-collapsed\/\" title=\"Trump Announces New Legal Team For Impeachment Defense After Previous Team Collapsed\">federal district court<\/a> and a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >federal appeals court allowed<\/a> the lawsuit to proceed, finding that the lawsuit \u2014 seeking refunds to a punitive class of people who claim they were misled into donating to the offering and changes in how the offering is discussed by the church \u2014 could continue under \u201cneutral principles\u201d that do not violate the Catholic Church\u2019s autonomy.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The USCCB had received support from various other religious groups, including those of Protestants, Orthodox Christians, Jews, and Muslims, in its bid for the Supreme Court to hear its case. Four groups, one from each of those religions, filed a brief urging the high court to take up the USCCB\u2019s case, warning that keeping the lower court rulings in place could lead to infringements on religious autonomy for other religions.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cScrutinizing such practices in this way undercuts religious organizations\u2019 ability to decide for themselves matters that the First Amendment commits to their authority. If civil courts are permitted to subject the USCCB to the burdens of litigation in this case to adjudicate the inherently religious message on which it is based, the religious liberty shared by all faith groups is threatened,\u201d the religious groups said in their brief in support of the USCCB.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf the Catholic Mass is not safe from government intrusion, courts next may make themselves superintendents of the Jewish Tefillah, the Adventist Sabbath, the Orthodox Divine Liturgy, the Muslim Jum\u2019ah, and all other faiths\u2019 worship services,\u201d the brief continued.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4562772\/major-supreme-court-decisions-remainder-term\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4562772\/major-supreme-court-decisions-remainder-term\/\">THE MAJOR SUPREME COURT DECISIONS REMAINING FOR THIS TERM<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court did not add any cases to its docket for the next term when it released its orders list this week, instead only releasing dozens of rejected petitions. Of the 10 cases the justices have said they will hear in the next term, only one involves First Amendment religious rights.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In the next term, which begins in October, the justices will hear a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4535480\/supreme-court-catholic-exclusion-colorado-universal-preschool\/\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4535480\/supreme-court-catholic-exclusion-colorado-universal-preschool\/\">case<\/a> about whether Colorado unlawfully violated Catholic preschools\u2019 First Amendment rights by requiring them to accept all families, including those who do not share Catholic beliefs, to be part of the state\u2019s universal preschool program.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court won\u2019t hear Catholic church collection case, letting lower court proceed<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2607060,"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\/2026\/05\/AP26138777211363-e1779827763267.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[33551,15467,32275],"class_list":["post-2607059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-catholic-church","tag-fundraising","tag-supreme-court"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/AP26138777211363-e1779827763267.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607059","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\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2607059"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607059\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2607068,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2607059\/revisions\/2607068"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2607060"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2607059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2607059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2607059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}