Supreme Court to hear case on lawsuit that blocked Marian shrine plan in Kentucky

The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving a religious institution's right to build a Marian shrine on residential land in Park Hills, Kentucky. The Missionaries of St. John the Baptist, a Catholic religious association that operates Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, is petitioning the court to overturn a ruling that blocked its construction plans.

The dispute began after the Park Hills city board granted the association a zoning variance to build a grotto shrine on a residential plot. Neighbors Joel and Elizabeth Frederic filed a lawsuit to block the project, citing concerns about traffic and parking if the shrine becomes a pilgrimage site. The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled against the chapel last December, finding that the city board exceeded its authority by granting the variance.

Lawyers for the Missionaries of St. John the Baptist argue that the state court misconstrued the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which prohibits government land use regulations from placing a substantial burden on religious exercise. The association maintains that the shrine is a necessary part of its religious mission.