Paradoxically, Wisconsin would have treated Catholic Charities less favorably because they do not only help Catholics. The U.S. Supreme Court put things in order.
by Massimo Introvigne
On June 5, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Wisconsin is barred from discriminating against the Catholic Charities Bureau of the Diocese of Superior and its faith-based assistance for the poor, elderly, and people with disabilities. Wisconsin denied Catholic Charities certain benefits offered to religious organizations based on the argument that, since it also helps non-Catholics, the charity cannot be deemed religious.
In “Catholic Charities Bureau v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission,” the Wisconsin Supreme Court had previously accepted the theory that Catholic Charities’ efforts to aid the needy were not a “typical” religious activity. Consequently, Catholic Charities was denied entry to the Wisconsin Catholic Church’s unemployment compensation program and had to engage with the state’s less effective and more expensive plan.
Catholic Charities, represented by the non-profit pro-religious-liberty law firm Becket, filed a petition with the Justices in March to safeguard its right to participate in the Church program.
In a unanimous 9-0 ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court stated that Wisconsin breached the Constitution by “imposing a denominational preference by differentiating between religions based on theological choices.” The verdict also recognized that “whether to express and inculcate religious doctrine through worship, proselytization, or religious education while engaging in charitable work are, once more, fundamentally theological choices influenced by the various religious doctrines.”
Most Catholic dioceses have a social ministry division dedicated to aiding those in need. In the Diocese of Superior, Wisconsin, Catholic Charities carries out this essential mission by supporting people with disabilities, the elderly, and impoverished individuals, regardless of their religious beliefs. This principle, grounded in Catholic Social Teaching, emphasizes that assistance should not be limited to Catholics and is reflected in the Church’s “corporal works of mercy,” which encompass actions like feeding the hungry and providing shelter to the homeless.
Under Wisconsin law, nonprofits established mainly for religious objectives typically qualify for exemption from the state’s unemployment compensation program. Nonetheless, the Wisconsin Supreme Court determined that Catholic Charities was not exempt, partly because it serves all individuals, not solely Catholics. The court suggested that Catholic Charities could be eligible for an exemption if it limited its hiring to Catholics and sought to convert those it assists to Catholicism, despite the Catholic Church’s stance that helping the poor should not depend on accepting its doctrines.
Massimo Introvigne (born June 14, 1955 in Rome) is an Italian sociologist of religions. He is the founder and managing director of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR), an international network of scholars who study new religious movements. Introvigne is the author of some 70 books and more than 100 articles in the field of sociology of religion. He was the main author of the Enciclopedia delle religioni in Italia (Encyclopedia of Religions in Italy). He is a member of the editorial board for the Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Religion and of the executive board of University of California Press’ Nova Religio. From January 5 to December 31, 2011, he has served as the “Representative on combating racism, xenophobia and discrimination, with a special focus on discrimination against Christians and members of other religions” of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). From 2012 to 2015 he served as chairperson of the Observatory of Religious Liberty, instituted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in order to monitor problems of religious liberty on a worldwide scale.
