Catholic Charities

Religious charities have historically been perceived as religious organizations. Along with this is the belief that these organizations should be exempt from taxes. The first amendment has been interpreted in the past to exempt all religiously affiliated organizations from taxation. This has been the case for a majority of the history of the United States. Recently Wisconsin’s supreme court has been questioning whether the tax exempt should exclude charities. 

            The Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese Superior, Wisconsin is a non-profit charitable organization. The organization claims its mission is to “carry on the redeeming work of our Lord by reflecting gospel values and the moral teaching of the church," and they do this by providing aid and care to the “poor and disadvantaged.” Wisconsin’s highest court claimed that the activities of the organization were mostly secular, and argued that hirings were not based on religion as well. 

“Taking religious organizations at their word on the religiousness of their activities makes it hard for the government to challenge if those activities are actually religious,” said Luís Calderón Gómez, a professor at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law at Yeshiva University.

The court claimed that the organization did not "attempt to imbue program participants with the Catholic faith, nor supply any religious materials." 

This organization is not the only religious charity in this situation. In the past many catholic charities have applied for exempt status from paying unemployment taxes for their employees.

“The charities losing their tax exempt status is beneficial, more money can be sent around to try to improve the economy.”

NHS Sophomore Sthayllor DaCosta said.

 In March the Wisconsin court reached an agreement, known as objective criteria. Due to the fact that the activities of The Charities Bureau are mostly secular, it has been decided that they will lose their tax exempt status. 

The Bureau as well as other Catholic charities have appealed to the Supreme Court. The supreme court is split into a 6-3 ratio with the majority being religious individuals and sympathetic to religious topics. 

“There are lots of hard questions in this area, But I thought it was pretty fundamental that we don’t treat some religions better than other religions and we certainly don’t do it based on the contents of the religious doctrine that those religions preach.”

Justice Elena Kagan stated.

The Supreme Court’s decision is expected to be released in late June.