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Non-profit

Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights

Website:

www.catholicleague.org
Location:

New York, NY
Tax ID:

23-7279981
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2019):

Revenue: $3,544,759
Expenses: $3,339,191
Assets: $50,243,889
Founded:

1973

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The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights (commonly known as the Catholic League) advocates for the religious freedom and free speech rights of Catholics. 1 A private nonprofit, it is not formally or legally affiliated with the Catholic Church.

The group identifies as the nation’s largest Catholic civil rights organization and defends the rights of lay and clergy to participate in public life free of defamation or discrimination. 2

William Donohue has been the president of the Catholic League since 1993. 3

Background

The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights advocates and litigates on behalf of Catholics in the United States. A private nonprofit, it is not formally or legally affiliated with the Catholic Church. The league has chapters throughout the United States that monitor government actions and media coverage and inform Catholic Americans of their constitutional rights. 4 The league contends that prejudice against Catholics is historical and deep and that as of today “Catholic bashing has become a staple of American society.” 5 The league says it is motivated by the letter and the spirit of the First Amendment regarding free speech and freedom of religion. 6

The Catalyst is a journal published by the Catholic League. 7

History

Jesuit priest Virgil Blum, a law professor at Marquette University in Milwaukee, founded the organization in May 1973 in part as a response to the Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade decision that compelled all states to legalize abortions in nearly all circumstances. 8

In 1985, Catholic League board chairman James Hitchcock, a professor of history at St. Louis University, attempted to force Blum out as leader of the organization. Hitchcock resigned from the board after Blum survived the vote. After Blum died in 1990, the league had several short-term leaders before hiring William Donohue in 1993. 9

Catholic League board members since Donohue took over have included conservative activist figures such as Dinesh D’Souza, Michael Novak, Linda Chavez, Mary Ann Glendon, William Simon, George Weigel, and Thomas Monaghan. 10

Although Blum said the Catholic League should stay out of internal church disputes, Donohue has frequently taken sides when disputes arise. 11

Advocacy

The Catholic League highlights allegedly defamatory comments made in the media about individual Catholics in the context of their faith, or public attacks on Catholicism from politicians, entertainment, or media figures. The League sometimes organizes boycotts of products that sponsor media outlets with anti-Catholic content. The League will also take certain cases to court. 12

The Catholic League does not endorse political candidates but engages in education about candidate positions. In 2020, the league stated that it had identified about 50 instances where President Donald Trump, the Republican nominee, either embraced or advanced religious liberty during his presidency. By contrast, the organization determined Democrat Joe Biden (who would become the second Catholic president) had almost no instances during his 47 years in the Senate of advancing religious liberty except for voting for the Religious Freedom Restoration Act in 1993. However, Biden had backed legislation to roll back aspects of that legislation. 13

In a 2018 legal brief, the Catholic League said that Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro (D) was trying “to malign the Catholic Church for political gain rather than for any legitimate investigatory or prosecutorial purpose.” The brief was filed in a case regarding a grand jury report over alleged sexual abuse in the Catholic church that named individuals who were not indicted. Certain individuals sued to have their names redacted before the report was released to the public. 14

In 2021, Donohue voiced strong support for reforms by Pope Francis to more seriously investigate and punish priests that engage in sexual abuse of minors, as well as priests who abuse their power to pressure adults to have sex. 15

In November 2021, Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson (R) issued a report about alleged abuse cases in the Catholic Church going back to 1978. Donohue said the report “singled out” the church on “mostly old cases.” He also said the report doesn’t recognize the progress the church made over the years in combatting sexual abuse. 16

People

William A. Donohue is the president and CEO of the Catholic League. He began his teaching career in the 1970s working at St. Lucy’s School in Spanish Harlem. In 1977, he was a professor at La Roche College in Pittsburgh. He is the author of eight books. He previously worked as a scholar for the Heritage Foundation. 17 Donohue also helped prepare then-Vice President George H.W. Bush for the 1988 presidential debates. 18

References

  1. Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Charity Navigator. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/237279981
  2. “About Us.” Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://www.catholicleague.org/about-us/
  3. Allen, John L. “League’s Dark Vision Divides Catholics.” National Catholic Reporter. October 31, 1997. Accessed November 13, 2021. http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/1997d/103197/103197a.htm
  4. Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Great Nonprofits. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://greatnonprofits.org/org/catholic-league-for-religious-and-civil-rights
  5. “About Us.” Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://www.catholicleague.org/about-us/
  6. “Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.” InstantCarDonation. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://instantcardonation.org/new-york/new-york/catholic-league-for-religious-and-civil-rights
  7. “About Us.” Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://www.catholicleague.org/about-us/
  8. Allen, John L. “League’s Dark Vision Divides Catholics.” National Catholic Reporter. October 31, 1997. Accessed November 13, 2021. http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/1997d/103197/103197a.htm
  9. Allen, John L. “League’s Dark Vision Divides Catholics.” National Catholic Reporter. October 31, 1997. Accessed November 13, 2021. http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/1997d/103197/103197a.htm
  10. [1] Allen, John L. “League’s Dark Vision Divides Catholics.” National Catholic Reporter. October 31, 1997. Accessed November 13, 2021. http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/1997d/103197/103197a.htm
  11. Allen, John L. “League’s Dark Vision Divides Catholics.” National Catholic Reporter. October 31, 1997. Accessed November 13, 2021. http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/1997d/103197/103197a.htm
  12. “Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.” Benevity. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://causes.benevity.org/causes/840-237279981
  13. “Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights: Trump and Biden Court Catholics.” Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. October 6, 2020. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://insurancenewsnet.com/oarticle/catholic-league-for-religious-and-civil-rights-trump-and-biden-court-catholics
  14. Muschick, Paul. “Catholic League’s criticism of grand jury probe is garbage.” Morning Call. September 25, 2018. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://www.mcall.com/opinion/mc-opi-priest-sex-abuse-grand-jury-catholic-league-muschick-20180924-story.html
  15. Donohue, William. “Pope Francis Issues Much Needed Reforms.” Eurasia Review. June 1, 2021. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://www.eurasiareview.com/01062021-pope-francis-issues-much-needed-reforms-oped/
  16. Salai, Sean. “Nebraska AG report on clergy abuse rocks Catholics.” Washington Times. November 9, 2021. Accessed November 13, 2021.  https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/nov/9/nebraska-ag-report-clergy-abuse-rocks-catholics/
  17. “About Us.” Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights. Accessed November 13, 2021. https://www.catholicleague.org/about-us/
  18. [1] Allen, John L. “Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.” National Catholic Reporter. October 31, 1997. Accessed November 13, 2021. http://natcath.org/NCR_Online/archives2/1997d/103197/103197a.htm
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: May 1, 1974

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2019 Dec Form 990 $3,544,759 $3,339,191 $50,243,889 $32,869 N $2,687,906 $0 $850,305 $1,279,726 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $3,617,285 $3,150,516 $45,384,797 $108,358 N $3,014,066 $0 $601,115 $786,226
    2015 Dec Form 990 $3,498,116 $3,045,051 $37,662,678 $13,316 N $2,960,292 $0 $532,291 $736,712 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $3,529,624 $2,832,249 $37,923,983 $23,029 N $2,970,763 $0 $556,510 $710,386 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $3,186,884 $2,830,190 $35,430,318 $13,738 N $2,700,147 $0 $481,867 $634,500 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $3,709,474 $3,388,597 $31,686,270 $2,313 N $3,181,641 $0 $502,645 $616,600 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $3,603,604 $3,177,066 $29,391,631 $4,958 N $3,040,117 $0 $558,074 $567,100 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights

    450 7th Avenue
    34th Floor
    New York, NY 10123