A federal judge has ruled in favour of the Archdiocese of Chicago in a lawsuit brought by a gay music director who was fired after announcing his same-sex marriage engagement, the Daily Herald (Arlington Heights) reports. Former music director Colin Collette filed the lawsuit in March 2016 seeking his job back, back pay and damages. He had worked at the church for 17 years.
The judge ruled that religious organizations have the right to control internal affairs and « to select their own leaders » and said Collette was one a « key ministerial employee. »
The judge wrote: « This right includes the freedom to ‘decide for themselves, free from state interference, matters of church government as well as those of faith and doctrine. » This is now considered a very dangerous ruling, since it opens the way to a lot of religious practises, such as female genital mutilation which is common among some religions.
