United States Supreme Court Upholds Religious Liberty

Statement of the Archdiocese of Washington

June 30, 2014

WASHINGTON – The Archdiocese of Washington is pleased that the Supreme Court of the United States today protected fundamental religious liberty and rights of conscience in Burwell, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al. v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., et al. and Conestoga Wood Specialties Corp. et al. v. Burwell.

In ruling that the HHS mandate substantially and impermissibly burdens the Hahn and Green families’ exercise of their religion in violation of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, the Court affirmed that people of faith do not lose their fundamental religious rights and liberties when they enter into the public arena and start a family business that employs others.

Although today’s decision does not directly resolve the legal challenges to the HHS mandate brought by religious non-profit entities, the fundamental principles regarding religious liberty which were adopted by the Court provide the Archdiocese and its related entities great hope that their right to operate in accordance with their religious beliefs will be similarly vindicated.

For more information about the separate lawsuit brought by the Archdiocese and its co-plaintiffs, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Washington, et al. v. Burwell, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al., D.C. Cir. case no. 13-5371, please visit www.PreserveReligiousFreedom.org.

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The Archdiocese of Washington is home to over 620,000 Catholics, 139 parishes and 96 Catholic schools, located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.

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