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Today, on March 31, my parish will stand U.S. Supreme Court In defending our right to continue our most vulnerable mission in decades. Shockingly, it must be done. Yet, Wisconsin officials are trying to hinder our efforts by claiming that this charity ministry is not religious.
Under the guidance of Catholic social teaching The command of Christ, Catholic dioceses across the country provide vital love for those in need. Indeed, as Pope Francis reminds us: “For the church, preference for the poor is not optional.”
This core principle of Catholic social teaching calls for us to prioritize the disadvantages in all aspects of our work. exist Wisconsin’s upper parish, We answer Christ’s appeal through the work of the Bureau of Catholic Charities with compassion. For more than a century, this ministry has been the source of hope and care for our thousands of older people, poor and disabled neighbors.
Through Catholic charities, the church can provide life skills courses, vocational training, job placement services, low-income senior housing, support for adults with special needs, personal care and help with independent living. Catholic charities treat everyone through the dignity of a man created in the image of God, as if we were taking care of Christ Himself.
The U.S. Supreme Court will be a new battle to fight for religious freedom. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Last year, the majority of the Wisconsin Supreme Court (blind) declared that Catholic charities were not primarily used for religious purposes. Fundamentally, the court came to this conclusion because it said that our charitable outreach is not a “typical” religious activity.
The disappointing ruling means Catholic charities are forced to continue paying for the state’s unemployment benefits program. This also means that Catholic charities cannot join the Wisconsin Catholic Church’s better, more effective unemployment program. We remain unwavering, but this decision challenges our ability to realize Christ’s appeal for faith-centricity.
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Most importantly, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruling hurts those who rely on our ministries. If not corrected, Catholic charities will be forced to continue to transfer their valuable resources to cover costs associated with participating in the state’s programs.
As managers of gifts to us, we always seek to ensure that we can maximize its direct impact, rather than on national plans that intentionally exclude religious organizations like us.
But what cares most about this decision is the reasoning behind it. The court suggested that if Catholic charities only hire Catholics and try to make the charities they serve more religious. This distorts the core of our faith and mission.
True Christian charities do not distinguish “deserved” from “unnecessary”, nor is this a means of preaching. Instead, as St. Augustine taught, it originates from love, “a virtue that unites us with God because we love Him.”
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The Good Samaritans did not question the beliefs of the injured. He saw the demand and responded with compassion. This is the example that Catholic charities have been embraced for over a century, and it is the spirit that we will continue to serve the most vulnerable of us. No matter how others define our work, our dedication to elevating those in need will remain firm and rooted in love.
With the support of the Beckett Religious Freedom Foundation, our parish brought the case to the U.S. Supreme Court last fall. Now, the Justice will consider Wisconsin’s cramping confusion about the “religion”. We hope and pray that the Justice will recognize the sincere faith at the heart of our ministry.
