PHOTO COURTESY SPRINGFIELD DIOCESE
Bishop Thomas Paprocki speaks with contributors throughout a pro-life rally that drew round 2,000 individuals to the Capitol on March 25.
A brand new Illinois legislation prohibits discrimination in opposition to people based mostly on their place on abortion, however Catholic Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield is difficult its constitutionality.
“States cannot pressure spiritual teams to violate their religion by affirming and accepting workers who violate their spiritual beliefs,” mentioned Paprocki, who has made a reputation for himself as one of many nation’s most conservative Catholic leaders.
The Springfield diocese and the Being pregnant Care Middle in Rockford collectively filed a federal lawsuit within the northern district of Illinois that contends the First Modification permits spiritual organizations to find out their very own standards for whom they rent.
In a March 25 interview, Paprocki advised Illinois Instances, “The Diocese of Springfield is actively attempting to rent somebody who will lead their pro-life workplace. And the Being pregnant Care Middle of Rockford is actively attempting to recruit and rent somebody proper now who will counsel girls within the seconds after they study that they are carrying new life.
“These positions are essential for having individuals who will advance their message and never contradict it.”
The Illinois Human Rights Act was amended Jan. 1 to incorporate the reproductive rights provision.
Gov. JB Pritzker then mentioned, “At a time when reproductive rights are below assault throughout the nation, Illinois is standing robust. This legislation makes it clear: nobody ought to face discrimination for making private selections about their reproductive well being. Whether or not it’s fertility care or abortion, your selections are your individual, and your rights are protected.”
However Paprocki contends the legislation violates the rights of spiritual organizations.
“What if in some way I employed an individual who turned out to be pro-abortion?” he mentioned. “Legally, I could not hearth that particular person. So, now we have truly filed a lawsuit with the assistance of the Alliance for Defending Freedom. … It is unlucky that now we have to go to court docket as of late, however we’re hoping that the courts will shield our constitutional rights to freedom of expression and non secular liberty.”
Mark Lippelmann is senior counsel for the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative authorized advocacy group that works to broaden Christian spiritual liberties and practices inside public faculties and in authorities.
Lippelmann advised IT that whereas Illinois shouldn’t be the primary state to cross such a legislation, it stays an outlier.
“A pair states have achieved so – New York is one instance,” he mentioned. “That legislation was challenged and a court docket held that the state violated a non secular organizations’ expressive affiliation rights below the First Modification. That case is ongoing. There’s one other case out of St. Louis that reached the identical consequence.”
Sarah Garza Resnick is president and CEO of Private PAC, an Illinois pro-choice political motion committee that advocates for reproductive well being and rights and works to elect pro-choice candidates.
She advised IT in a written assertion that the lawsuit lacked benefit.
“This can be a baseless lawsuit filed by Alliance Defending Freedom, a far-right legislation agency that goals to impose its spiritual ideology on individuals throughout the nation. If, when, or how an worker decides to begin a household is of no concern to their employer. We’re hopeful Illinois Legal professional Normal Kwame Raoul will prevail in court docket in opposition to these extremists.”
Drew Hill, a spokesperson for Raoul, mentioned the lawsuit is being reviewed however declined to remark additional as a result of it’s pending litigation.
Bob Gilligan, a lobbyist for the Catholic Convention of Illinois, mentioned these lawmakers pushing the laws had been unwilling to create an exemption for spiritual establishments.
Lippelmann mentioned constitutional issues had been raised throughout legislative debate.
“Some legislators raised the expressive affiliation and First Modification rights of spiritual organizations, together with being pregnant facilities just like the one which we characterize, on this case. … and mentioned that is going to be an issue,” he mentioned.
Lippelmann mentioned the laws’s sponsors didn’t immediately reply to these issues.
“(They) wish to be a pacesetter in defending what they deem to be bodily autonomy and their proper to have an abortion,” he mentioned.
IT reached out to a number of sponsors and co-sponsors of the laws. None responded to telephone calls or texts.
Nevertheless, when Pritzker signed the measure in August, Home sponsor state Rep. Anna Moeller, D-Elgin, issued this assertion, “It’s unacceptable that anybody might be discriminated in opposition to in employment, housing, or public lodging based mostly on their reproductive well being selections. This hole in our anti-discrimination legal guidelines wanted to be addressed, and now we have taken motion to take action.
“Whereas different states proceed to impose growing restrictions on girls looking for important reproductive providers, Illinois is taking a extra compassionate strategy. The way forward for our state hinges on safeguarding girls’s well being care rights, and this legislation is a essential a part of that dedication.”
Paprocki, who has a legislation diploma and taught on the College of Notre Dame’s legislation college, mentioned he’s assured that the lawsuit will prevail.
Lippelmann added, “It is virtually like asking PETA (Folks for the Moral Therapy of Animals) to rent somebody who would not care about animals.”
