Supreme Court will hear dispute over a Kentucky church’s plan to build a shrine on residential land

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments in the coming months regarding whether a religious institution can build a shrine to the Virgin Mary on residential property adjacent to its church.

The petitioners, the Missionaries of Saint John the Baptist, a nonprofit formed by Roman Catholic priests, argue they have a right to build the shrine as part of their religious mission. Their lawyers claim a federal law prevents governments from enforcing land use regulations that place a substantial burden on religious expression. The group contends that a previous ruling by the Kentucky Supreme Court conflicts with federal precedent and other appellate court decisions.

The legal dispute follows a December decision by the Kentucky Supreme Court, which ruled that a zoning board in Park Hills, Kentucky, did not have the authority to grant a variance for the project. A local family successfully challenged the board's decision in state court, citing concerns that the shrine would increase traffic in the residential area.