Supreme Court to Hear Colorado Catholic Preschool Religious Liberty Case

Religious liberty has come before the U.S. Supreme Court once again. On November 3, the justices will hear St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, in which Colorado authorities are blatantly infringing on Catholic families’ First Amendment rights. Yet this case isn’t just another chance to reaffirm the government’s obligation not to discriminate against people of faith. It should also cause religious believers to recognize that taxpayer funding could threaten their own fidelity to faith.

The facts in this case are clear and concerning. In 2023, Colorado launched a universal preschool program, providing families with about $6,300 in funding per eligible child. But when a Catholic family tried to send their children to their parish preschool, the state refused to hand over the money. Officials balked at the school’s requirement that families uphold Catholic teaching, including the sanctity of marriage and the reality of biological sex.

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Tim Busch

Tim Busch is co-founder of the Napa Institute, a Catholic lifestyle organization.

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Religious liberty has come before the U.S. Supreme Court once again. On November 3, the justices will hear St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, in which Colorado authorities are blatantly infringing on Catholic families’ First Amendment rights. Yet this case isn’t just another chance to reaffirm the government’s obligation not to discriminate against people of faith. It should also cause religious believers to recognize that taxpayer funding could threaten their own fidelity to faith.

The facts in this case are clear and concerning. In 2023, Colorado launched a universal preschool program, providing families with about $6,300 in funding per eligible child. But when a Catholic family tried to send their children to their parish preschool, the state refused to hand over the money. Officials balked at the school’s requirement that families uphold Catholic teaching, including the sanctity of marriage and the reality of biological sex.