USCCB Statement on Supreme Court "Hobby Lobby" Decision

"A great day for the religious freedom of family businesses."

We welcome the Supreme Court’s decision to recognize that Americans can continue to follow their faith when they run a family business.  In this case, justice has prevailed, with the Court respecting the rights of the Green and Hahn families to continue to abide by their faith in how they seek their livelihood, without facing devastating fines.  Now is the time to redouble our efforts to build a culture that fully respects religious freedom.

The Court clearly did not decide whether the so-called ‘accommodation’ violates RFRA when applied to our charities, hospitals and schools, so many of which have challenged it as a burden on their religious exercise.  We continue to hope that these great ministries of service, like the Little Sisters of the Poor and so many others, will prevail in their cases as well.

— June 30, 2014
Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz, President, U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops
Archbishop William E. Lori, Chairman  USCCB Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty

More on the "Hobby Lobby" Case

• A Vital Win for Religious Freedom, by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz
  New York Post, June 30, 2014
• Faith Communities' RFRA Letter to Congress
  June 30, 2014
  
• USCCB Amicus Brief
• Fact Sheet: The Right to Practice Faith in Business  |  en español
  
• Will the Owners of Hobby Lobby Have to Check Their Faith at the Door? by Archbishop Joseph E. Kurtz
  OnFaith, March 25, 2014