Members of a Knights of Columbus council in Petersburg, VA filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration Tuesday after being denied permission to hold their traditional Memorial Day Mass at Poplar Grove National Cemetery.
The members of the Catholic service organization are suing the Biden administration citing religious discrimination, according to the news release. This denial marks the second consecutive year that the group has been unable to hold the service, which had been a longstanding tradition for 60 years. Represented by attorneys from McGuireWoods, the organization filed a motion for a temporary restraining order against the National Park Service (NPS), challenging the decision.
How anti-catholic is the @WhiteHouse under whoever is controlling @JoeBiden, the stooge
Catholic group sues Biden administration for denying permit for Memorial Day mass: ‘Way out of line’https://t.co/fAPzbx7bbz
— An American (@Joe7993) May 22, 2024
“The policy and the decision blocking the Knights of Columbus from continuing their long-standing religious tradition is a blatant violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act,” said John Moran, Partner at McGuireWoods, the release stated. “We urge the court to grant our restraining order and allow the Knights to hold their service this Memorial Day.” (RELATED: ‘Toxic’: Federal Judge Calls Out Discrimination Against ‘Religious Conservatives’ On College Campuses)
Alexa Viets, the superintendent of Petersburg National Battlefield, defended the cemetery’s policies.
“National Cemeteries are established as national shrines in tribute to those who have died in service to our country, and as such any special activities within the cemetery are reserved for a limited set of official commemorative activities that have a connection to military service or have a historic and commemorative significance for the particular national cemetery,” Viets told the Times.
WASHINGTON, DC – OCTOBER 10: Knights of Columbus member, Dick Bissel holds an Amerian flag during a Columbus Day ceremony at the National Columbus Memorial in front of Union Station, October 10, 2016 in Washington, DC. Columbus Day celebrates Christopher Columbus’ arrival in the Americas on October 12, 1492. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
The National Park Service has classified religious services and vigils as “demonstrations” since at least 1986, prohibiting them unless part of officially sanctioned commemorative events. This classification is the basis for denying permits.
“Conducting a special event or demonstration, whether spontaneous or organized, is prohibited except for official commemorative events conducted for Memorial Day, Veterans Day and other dates designated by the superintendent as having special historic and commemorative significance to a particular national cemetery,” the Code of Federal Regulations stated.
Representatives for the Knights of Columbus argue that the recent policy change leading to the denial is new and inconsistent with past practices.
“The National Park Service is way out of line. This is the kind of unlawful discrimination and censorship RFRA and the First Amendment were enacted to prevent,” Byron said, the news release stated. “Hopefully the court will grant the Knights the relief they need to keep this honorable tradition alive.”
A court hearing regarding the temporary restraining order requested by the Knights of Columbus is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon, where the court will decide if the tradition can continue this Memorial Day, according to Fox News.
The Daily Caller has reached out to Knights of Columbus for comments but has yet to receive a response.
