Supreme Court declines Catholic fundraising case

The Supreme Court on Tuesday declined to hear a case involving the Catholic Church’s annual 'Peter’s Pence' collection, allowing a lower court lawsuit to proceed. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) had urged the high court to dismiss the lawsuit, arguing that it infringed on religious autonomy under the First Amendment. The case centers on claims that parishioners were misled about how the funds were used, with plaintiffs seeking refunds and changes to how the offering is described. The USCCB argued that the lawsuit would require intrusive government oversight, including demands for donor lists and internal communications with the Vatican. The Supreme Court did not provide a reason for its decision, which was included in its Tuesday orders list. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson recused herself from the case. Both a federal district court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit had previously allowed the lawsuit to proceed, finding that it raised a 'purely secular' dispute. Religious groups representing Jews, Muslims, Seventh-day Adventists, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints backed the USCCB’s appeal, warning that government intrusion into religious practices could set a dangerous precedent.