A Catholic service organization, the Knights of Columbus, has sued the Biden administration for religious discrimination after being denied a permit to hold their Memorial Day mass at the Poplar Grove National Cemetery. Attorneys for the Knights filed a motion for a temporary restraining order against the National Park Service in Virginia, citing a violation of the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. This is the second year in a row that the group has been denied a permit to hold their religious service at the cemetery where they have been doing so for the past 60 years.
An official from the National Park Service defended the permit denial, stating that national cemeteries are reserved for official commemorative activities related to military service or those with historic significance. The cemetery manager referred to religious services as “demonstrations” and stated that they are prohibited in national cemeteries except for official events like Memorial Day and Veterans Day commemorations. The Knights of Columbus argue that they have been allowed to hold their Memorial Day mass at the cemetery for years until a recent policy change, and they are seeking relief to continue their tradition.
Attorneys representing the Knights criticize the National Park Service’s policy as discriminatory and censorship that goes against the principles of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and the First Amendment. They believe that the group should be allowed to conduct their religious service at the cemetery on Memorial Day as they have done in the past. A court hearing for the temporary restraining order is scheduled to take place to address the issue and determine whether the Knights of Columbus will be able to hold their mass as planned.
The National Park Service has stated that it does not comment on pending litigation, and Fox News Digital has reached out to the Petersburg National Battlefield for comment on the situation. The Knights of Columbus are fighting to protect their religious freedom and continue their long-standing tradition of holding a Memorial Day mass at the national cemetery. The outcome of the legal battle between the Knights of Columbus and the National Park Service will determine whether the group can exercise their First Amendment rights and conduct their religious service as they have done for the past six decades.
