“DC Archdiocese Sues Over Rejection of Christmas Season Bus Ads” Religion Clause reports here on Archdiocese of Washington v. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, (D. D.C., filed Nov. 28, 2017).
Category: Roman Catholic
“Sacristan’s Suit Dismissed On Ministerial Exception Grounds”
“Sacristan’s Suit Dismissed On Ministerial Exception Grounds” Religion Clause reports here on Vosney v. Archdiocese of Hartford, (Conn. Super., Oct. 13, 2017).
“Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine Does Not Bar School Administrator’s Contract Claim”
“Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine Does Not Bar School Administrator’s Contract Claim” Religion Clause reports here on Saint Augustine School v. Cropper, (Ky., Nov. 2, 2017).
“New Contraceptive Coverage Rules Challenged As Notre Dame Plans To End Coverage”
“New Contraceptive Coverage Rules Challenged As Notre Dame Plans To End Coverage” Religion Clause reports here on Shiraef v. Hargan (N.D. Ind., filed 10/31/2017).
“Notre Dame to end no-cost contraceptive coverage for employees”
“Notre Dame to end no-cost contraceptive coverage for employees” The South Bend Tribune reports here.
“Trump Administration Set to Roll Back Birth Control Mandate”
“Trump Administration Set to Roll Back Birth Control Mandate” Robert Pear of the New York Times has this report about coming exemptions to regulations under Affordable Care Act that require employers to provide coverage for contraceptives. The new exemptions allow employers or insurers that object to covering contraceptive based sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions. Houses of worship and similar religious employers were exempted under the Obama-era rules, but other religious organizations, including hospitals and schools, and entities that were not overtly religious but that were owned by individuals with religious objections to the coverage were required to provide the coverage. The 2014 Supreme Court decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby held that the federal Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA) required an exception for closely held, for-profit corporations controlled by owners who object to paying for contraceptives. In 2016 the Supreme Court considered a group of cases brought under RFRA by religious nonprofits, colleges, and schools that sought to expand the exemption as it applied to houses of worship to those groups. Zubik v. Burwell, 136 S. Ct. 1557 (2016). The Supreme Court did not decide the issue, instead remanding the case and encouraging the sides to explore alternative resolution. In May President Trump highlighted one of the groups in that consolidated case, the Little Sisters of the Poor Home for the Aged, praising the nuns who run that organization for their challenge and promising these changes allowing their objections to be accommodated.
ECFA reports on the decision here.
“Catholic priest is (allegedly) an equal opportunity offender, court says, dismissing bias suit”
“Catholic priest is (allegedly) an equal opportunity offender, court says, dismissing bias suit” Robin Shea at Employment & Labor Insider has this summary of a decision involving an allegedly foul-mouthed priest who serves as principal of a Roman Catholic school. The court dismissed defamation, harassment, and discrimination claims against the principal, school, Cardinal TImothy Dolan, the principal’s two alleged “henchmen,” and the Archdiocese of New York. Read the complaint here. Here’s how Shea sums it up: Continue reading ““Catholic priest is (allegedly) an equal opportunity offender, court says, dismissing bias suit””
“Nuns Lose Challenge To Pipeline”
“Nuns Lose Challenge To Pipeline” Religion Clause reports here on Adorers of the Blood of Christ v. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, (E.D. Pa. Sept. 28, 2017). Lancaster Online reported on it here.
“Property tax exemption for downtown Madison’s St. Raphael’s in Wisconsin budget draws fire”
“Property tax exemption for downtown Madison’s St. Raphael’s in Wisconsin budget draws fire” The Capital Times of Madison, Wisconsin reports here on a controversy over the property-tax exemption on land on which a Roman Catholic cathedral once stood until it was destroyed by arson. ChurchLaw&Tax includes a summary in its weekly news summary here.