Despite IRS reversal, Church, Diocese will not permit political endorsements, oppositions
July 9, 2025 at 2:42 p.m.
The New York Times reported on Monday, July 7 that:
… churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates to their congregations, carving out an exemption in a decades-old ban on political activity by tax-exempt nonprofits. … The agency said that if a house of worship endorsed a candidate to its congregants, the I.R.S. would view that not as campaigning but as a private matter, like “a family discussion concerning candidates (NYT, David A. Fahrenthold, “I.R.S. Says Churches Can Endorse Candidates from the Pulpit,” July 7, 2025).
This announcement indicates an I.R.S. reversal of a decades-old prohibition against such engagement by churches and other religious nonprofits in political activity.
As we have often experienced before, the fact the something is declared legal or permissible does not necessarily mean that it should be done or followed. This I.R.S. decision is such a case.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was quick to address this change for the Catholic Church in our country.
In response to the recent interpretation of the Johnson Amendment publicized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the USCCB offered a statement from its spokesperson, Chieko Noguchi, executive director of public affairs. The Johnson Amendment defines guidelines for the tax-exempt status of a church or other nonprofits regarding political activities and endorsing or opposing candidates for public office.
The I.R.S. was addressing a specific case, and it doesn’t change how the Catholic Church engages in public debate. The Church seeks to help Catholics form their conscience in the Gospel so they might discern which candidates and policies would advance the common good. The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.
Although this new I.R.S. policy indicates churches may now legally endorse political candidates from their pulpits during religious services without risking their tax-exempt status, this change itself may contribute to blurring the traditional line of separation between church and state and threatens the possibility of turning churches into political organizations that create divisions within church parishes or communities. At the very least, it may result in confusion within these communities.
The Catholic Church in the US has long opposed permitting political endorsements or statements to be made from its pulpits during church services. That opposition has been and continues to be true in the Diocese of Trenton.
Individual Catholics, including clergy, have a right to their own personal political opinions and, according to the Church, have a duty to participate in political life for the common good. That, however, does not include the right for clergy to use the pulpit to express or endorse political positions or candidates for political office.
In his diocese, the bishop has canonical authority over preaching in his diocese.
On rare occasions during my episcopal tenure here in the Diocese of Trenton, I have had to remind some few clergy to refrain from political endorsements in their homilies, noting that the church pulpit is place for preaching the Gospel and the mysteries of our faith as well as explaining Church teachings and their application to contemporary Christian life not for making political statements or endorsements of political parties or candidates. Similarly, I have indicated that religious organizations should not engage in political activities on church or other diocesan/parish properties.
As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, despite the recent I.R.S. ruling, I will continue to maintain the policy and practice of the Diocese not to permit political statements or political endorsements to be made in our churches before, during, or after Mass or other religious services. The same restriction holds true for diocesan or parish publications (e.g., parish bulletins or websites).
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The New York Times reported on Monday, July 7 that:
… churches and other houses of worship can endorse political candidates to their congregations, carving out an exemption in a decades-old ban on political activity by tax-exempt nonprofits. … The agency said that if a house of worship endorsed a candidate to its congregants, the I.R.S. would view that not as campaigning but as a private matter, like “a family discussion concerning candidates (NYT, David A. Fahrenthold, “I.R.S. Says Churches Can Endorse Candidates from the Pulpit,” July 7, 2025).
This announcement indicates an I.R.S. reversal of a decades-old prohibition against such engagement by churches and other religious nonprofits in political activity.
As we have often experienced before, the fact the something is declared legal or permissible does not necessarily mean that it should be done or followed. This I.R.S. decision is such a case.
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) was quick to address this change for the Catholic Church in our country.
In response to the recent interpretation of the Johnson Amendment publicized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the USCCB offered a statement from its spokesperson, Chieko Noguchi, executive director of public affairs. The Johnson Amendment defines guidelines for the tax-exempt status of a church or other nonprofits regarding political activities and endorsing or opposing candidates for public office.
The I.R.S. was addressing a specific case, and it doesn’t change how the Catholic Church engages in public debate. The Church seeks to help Catholics form their conscience in the Gospel so they might discern which candidates and policies would advance the common good. The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.
Although this new I.R.S. policy indicates churches may now legally endorse political candidates from their pulpits during religious services without risking their tax-exempt status, this change itself may contribute to blurring the traditional line of separation between church and state and threatens the possibility of turning churches into political organizations that create divisions within church parishes or communities. At the very least, it may result in confusion within these communities.
The Catholic Church in the US has long opposed permitting political endorsements or statements to be made from its pulpits during church services. That opposition has been and continues to be true in the Diocese of Trenton.
Individual Catholics, including clergy, have a right to their own personal political opinions and, according to the Church, have a duty to participate in political life for the common good. That, however, does not include the right for clergy to use the pulpit to express or endorse political positions or candidates for political office.
In his diocese, the bishop has canonical authority over preaching in his diocese.
On rare occasions during my episcopal tenure here in the Diocese of Trenton, I have had to remind some few clergy to refrain from political endorsements in their homilies, noting that the church pulpit is place for preaching the Gospel and the mysteries of our faith as well as explaining Church teachings and their application to contemporary Christian life not for making political statements or endorsements of political parties or candidates. Similarly, I have indicated that religious organizations should not engage in political activities on church or other diocesan/parish properties.
As Bishop of the Diocese of Trenton, despite the recent I.R.S. ruling, I will continue to maintain the policy and practice of the Diocese not to permit political statements or political endorsements to be made in our churches before, during, or after Mass or other religious services. The same restriction holds true for diocesan or parish publications (e.g., parish bulletins or websites).