Last week, a Jefferson County Circuit Court judge issued a decision holding the Wisconsin Department of Corrections violated state law and the state constitution when the agency barred Catholic clergy from ministering in-person to the spiritual needs of inmates under a COVID visitor policy. Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty sued the Department of Corrections last year on behalf of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee seeking invalidation of the visitor policy that allowed other visitors but made no provision for Catholic clergy.

This is strategic victory for religious freedom in Wisconsin. In this instance, Catholics were the target; but violating one faith group’s religious liberty, impacts all of us. I’m grateful the diocese blew the whistle on the Department of Corrections. To safeguard our religious freedom, this type of blatant violation of statutes and the constitution must be challenged.