Catholic Conference of Ohio
Monday, March 18, 2024

Issues - Catholic Conference of Ohio

Religious Liberty

Religious freedom is our first American freedom. It is a founding principle of our country, protected by the First Amendment in the Bill of Rights. It’s a fundamental human right, rooted in the dignity of every human person—people of any faith or no faith at all. It’s not a Catholic, Jewish, Orthodox, Mormon or Muslim issue—it’s an American issue, a civil rights issue

U. S. Bishops Web Link On Religious Liberty

Conscience Protection Resources/ Bulletin Inserts

Catholic Bishops statement on Religious Liberty:
Our First, Most Cherished Liberty
Ad Hoc Committee for Religious Liberty 

CCO Testifies on Bills to Support Religious Freedom in Schools and Breastfeeding Mothers

The Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of two bills this week. SB49 would require each K-12 public school to adopt a policy providing students, teachers, and staff up to three days of religious expression leave per academic year. CCO supported the bill and affirmed the religious liberty to allow Catholic students and public-school staff across Ohio the ability to observe Holy Days as excused absences. HB34 would excuse breastfeeding mothers from jury service. In support of the bill, CCO commented on the Catholic Church’s commitment to promoting and acting on a vision of society that stands with mothers during and after pregnancy through personal accompaniment and pro-family public policies.

CCO Testifies on Bills to Enhance the Ability of Charitable Pharmacies to Provide Medication to Uninsured and Underinsured Ohioans and Promote Religious Freedom of Higher Ed Students

Last week, the Catholic Conference Ohio testified in support of two bills. HB 558 would enhance the ability of charitable pharmacies, hospitals, and nonprofit clinics to serve those needing expensive, life-saving medication. The CCO cited the tremendous work of St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacies in their efforts to help many low-income Ohioans and how this bill will allow them and other agencies the ability to receive and distribute expensive medication. HB 353 requires each state institution of higher education to adopt a policy providing students with religious accommodations. CCO's testimony emphasized that an essential duty of government is to protect the religious liberty of its citizens.   

CCO Testifies on Bills to Protect Religious Gatherings and Promote Eastern European Immigrants

During the first week of Ohio’s lame duck period, the time after a general election and before a new General Assembly, the Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of two bills. HB 504 would specifically address penalties for disturbing a religious gathering. The bill was introduced in response to protestors disrupting the Diocese of Columbus’ Respect Life Mass and several gatherings of Ohio’s Jewish community. See the CCO’s testimony in support of HB 504 here. The Conference also testified in support of SB 46, which would create an office and commission on Eastern European affairs. The testimony noted the Church’s call to promote and integrate immigrants, and the vibrancy Ohioans of Eastern European origin bring to our Catholic churches.

CCO Testifies on Bills to Protect Religious Gatherings and Promote Eastern European Immigrants

During the first week of Ohio’s lame duck period, the time after a general election and before a new General Assembly, the Catholic Conference of Ohio testified in support of two bills. HB 504 would specifically address penalties for disturbing a religious gathering. The bill was introduced in response to protestors disrupting the Diocese of Columbus’ Respect Life Mass and several gatherings of Ohio’s Jewish community. The Conference also testified in support of SB 46, which would create an office and commission on Eastern European affairs. The testimony noted the Church’s call to promote and integrate immigrants, and the vibrancy Ohioans of Eastern European origin bring to our Catholic churches.

Supreme Court Rules That Maine Cannot Discriminate Against Religious Schools Because They Teach Religion

The Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in the case of Carson v. Makin, which challenged a decision by the First Circuit to allow the State of Maine to exclude religious schools from a tuition assistance benefit on the basis that those schools include religion as part of their instruction. By vote of 6-3, the Court ruled in favor of the petitioners. Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Bishop Thomas A. Daly of Spokane, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Catholic Education, issued a statement in the response to the Court’s ruling.

Pleads for Peace as Attacks on Pro-Life Organizations Mount

Cardinal Dolan and Archbishop Lori issued a statement through the USCCB

In response to ongoing attacks on Catholic churches and pro-life pregnancy centers, Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Religious Liberty and Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities issued the following statement:

“The Catholic Church has a long history of service to those who are most vulnerable, including both mother and child, and remains the largest private provider of social services in the United States. From religious communities to pregnancy care centers, from refugee resettlement services to foster care and adoption agencies, and from maternity homes to parish-based ministries, the Church consistently bears witness in word and deed to the beauty and dignity of every human life. 

Conference Applauds Passage of Sacred Spaces Act in Ohio House

HB 504 the Sacred Spaces Act will allow all Ohioans to worship in peace 

The Catholic Conference of Ohio applauds the passage of HB 504 the Sacred Spaces Act that has been passed unanimously by the Ohio House of Representatives, and looks forward to the bill’s consideration in the Ohio Senate. We encourage you to reach out to your State Senator to support the passage of this bill. The Conference prays that the adoption of the Sacred Spaces Act will allow all Ohioans to worship in peace. 

Ohioans of all faiths deserve to worship in peace

Sacred Spaces Act increases the penalty for disturbing a religious worship meeting.

U.S. Bishop Chairmen Speak Out on U.S. Department of Justice Dismissal of a Case Involving Conscience Law

University of Vermont Medical Center (UVMC) nurse was forced to participate in an elective abortion against the nurse’s religious beliefs

Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee for Religious Liberty, and Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann of Kansas City in Kansas, chairman of the USCCB’s Committee on Pro-Life Activities, issued the following statement: 

“...The U.S. Department of Justice is acting in dereliction of its duty to enforce the plain meaning of federal law. It is hard to imagine a more horrific civil rights violation than being forced to take an innocent human life..."

Bishop Chairmen Welcome Supreme Court Decision Protecting Freedom to Serve

Refusal of Philadelphia to contract with Catholic Social Services for the provision of foster care services violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.

Three chairmen of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) responded to the decision by the Supreme Court of the United States, Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. The statement of Archbishop Paul S. Coakley of Oklahoma City, chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development; Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York, chairman of the Committee for Religious Liberty; and Bishop David A. Konderla of Tulsa, chairman of the Subcommittee for the Promotion and Defense of Marriage reads in part::

“Americans have long been a tolerant people who respect each other’s deepest differences. ... the Supreme Court unanimously upheld that tradition, reinvigorating the First Amendment’s promise that religious believers can bring the full vitality of their faith to their charitable service and to the public square. This is a victory for the common good and for thousands of children who rely on religious foster care and adoption agencies to find a loving home with a mother and father, which is their right..."