Sarah Mitchell
Amy Coney Barrett, a judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals and a former professor at the University of Notre Dame Law School, has been the subject of much discussion regarding her Catholic faith. Barrett, who was born in 1972 in New Orleans, Louisiana, into a devout Catholic family, has described herself as a \faithful Catholic\. She has been a member of the Christian parachurch community People of Praise since birth, an ecumenical covenant community founded in South Bend with about 90% of its members being Catholic. Her father is an ordained deacon, and her mother is a French teacher and homemaker. Barrett's Catholic faith has been a topic of interest, especially during her confirmation hearings for the Federal Court of Appeals in 2017 and her subsequent nomination to the Supreme Court in 2020, with some questioning how her religious beliefs might influence her legal decisions.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Religion | Catholic |
| Family | From a Catholic family with seven children |
| Education | Student body vice president of St. Mary's Dominican High School, an all-girls Catholic high school |
| University | Majored in English literature and minored in French at Rhodes College |
| Law School | University of Notre Dame Law School |
| Membership | Member of the Christian parachurch community People of Praise, a Catholic "covenant community" |
| Views | Pro-life, anti-abortion, anti-same-sex marriage |
| Career | Law professor at the University of Notre Dame, Judge on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, US Supreme Court Justice |
| Political Affiliation | Republican |
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What You'll Learn
Membership of 'People of Praise'
Amy Coney Barrett is a member of the Christian parachurch community People of Praise, a self-described ""charismatic covenant community" founded in South Bend, Indiana, in 1971. The community emerged from the Catholic charismatic movement of the 1960s, which blended Catholicism and Protestant Pentecostalism. While People of Praise is not formally affiliated with the Catholic Church, about 90% of its approximately 1,700 members are Catholic.
The group has been described as secretive and cult-like, with allegations of its leaders exerting undue influence over members' lives and finances, and engaging in inappropriate behaviour. Former members have also accused the group of promoting an authoritarian structure, with spiritual advisers making significant life decisions for members and encouraging communal living and shared finances.
Barrett has been a member of People of Praise since birth, and her father and husband are also known members. She has served as a women's leader within the group, a position once termed "handmaid" or "handmaiden", but now referred to as "women leader". Her involvement with the group has drawn scrutiny, particularly during her nomination to the Supreme Court, due to concerns about the potential influence of her religious beliefs on her judicial decisions.
Barrett has stated that her religious beliefs would not impact her duties as a judge, but her membership in People of Praise and her strong Catholic faith have been the subject of debate and discussion during her confirmation process. Her views on abortion and the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, have been of particular interest to Democrats and those concerned about the separation of church and state in judicial matters.
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Views on abortion
Amy Coney Barrett is a Catholic. She was born in 1972 in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Linda (née Vath) and Michael Coney. She is the eldest of seven children, with five sisters and a brother. Her family is devoutly Catholic, and her father is an ordained deacon. Barrett attended St. Mary's Dominican High School, an all-girls Roman Catholic high school in New Orleans. She has described herself as a “faithful Catholic".
Barrett's Catholic faith has been a topic of interest since her nomination to the Federal Court of Appeals in 2017 by then-President Donald Trump. Her nomination drew attention to her membership in a "charismatic" Catholic group called
Barrett's Catholic faith has been a subject of discussion and debate during her confirmation hearings, particularly in relation to her views on abortion. Democrats and other opponents of her nomination have expressed concern about her ability to rule impartially on abortion-related matters due to her strong Catholic beliefs and self-described "unapologetic pro-life views".
Barrett has stated that her religious beliefs would not influence her duties as a judge. However, her record and statements on abortion have been a source of concern for those who support the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that protected abortion rights nationally. Barrett has not ruled specifically on abortion cases before, but she has reviewed two abortion restrictions cases while on the appeals court. In one case, she voted in favour of a law that would mandate doctors to inform the parents of a minor seeking an abortion, with no exceptions. In another case, she called for a state law that sought to ban abortions related to sex, race, disability, or life-threatening health conditions to be reheard.
During her confirmation hearings, Barrett was asked about a 1998 article she co-wrote with a professor about Catholic judges. In the article, she wrote that Catholic judges are "obliged by oath, professional commitment, and the demands of citizenship to enforce the death penalty" while also adhering to their church's teachings. Barrett's views on abortion have been a central issue for both supporters and critics of her nomination to the Supreme Court.
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Views on same-sex marriage
Amy Coney Barrett, a Catholic, has been criticised for her views on same-sex marriage. She has been affiliated with groups that do not promote LGBTQ inclusivity and has made anti-LGBTQ statements. For example, in a 2006 commencement address, Barrett stated that legal careers ought not to be seen as a means of gaining satisfaction, prestige, or money, but rather "as a means to the end of serving God".
Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court by President Donald Trump was supported by her fellow Catholic, Justice Clarence Thomas. However, her nomination was opposed by Lambda Legal, an LGBTQ rights advocacy group, which wrote that her "anti-LGBTQ views would be destructive on the Supreme Court and to the lives of LGBTQ Americans".
Barrett has also been criticised for her affiliation with the Alliance Defending Freedom, which has been described as an "anti-LGBT legal organisation". During her confirmation hearing, Barrett stated that she had not vetted the group and was not aware of their stance on same-sex marriage.
In terms of her legal decisions, Barrett joined a unanimous decision in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, ruling in favour of a Catholic social service agency that had been denied funding for not adopting same-sex couples. She also voted with the majority in a decision to reject an appeal from a hospital that sought to deny a hysterectomy to a transgender patient on religious grounds.
In addition, Barrett has questioned the court's role in deciding on same-sex marriage, stating that it was not for the court to decide and that those who want same-sex marriage should lobby state legislatures.
While Barrett has stated that her religious beliefs would not influence her legal decisions, her views on same-sex marriage remain a concern for many.
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Catholic faith and legal career
Amy Coney Barrett, a native of Louisiana, has been a member of the Christian parachurch community People of Praise since her birth. The community, which is not formally affiliated with the Catholic Church, emerged from the Catholic charismatic movement of the 1960s and has around 1,700 members, 90% of whom are Catholic. Barrett's father and husband are also members.
Barrett's Catholic faith has been a topic of discussion and controversy since 2017, when she was nominated by President Donald Trump to the Federal Court of Appeals. During her confirmation hearings, Democratic California Senator Dianne Feinstein made the now-famous remark, "The dogma lives loudly within you."
Barrett has described herself as a "faithful Catholic" but has asserted that her religious beliefs would not influence her duties as a judge. In a 2006 commencement address at Notre Dame Law School, she advised graduates not to pursue legal careers for personal gain but rather as a means to the end of serving God. This perspective has drawn criticism and speculation about how her faith might impact her legal decisions, particularly regarding abortion and the Affordable Care Act.
Barrett's nomination to the Supreme Court in 2020 by President Trump further intensified the focus on her religious beliefs. Democrats expressed concern about her ability to adjudicate on abortion-related matters due to her unapologetic pro-life views. Despite the controversy, Barrett was confirmed to the Supreme Court on October 26, 2020, becoming one of six Catholics on the court.
Since joining the Supreme Court, Barrett has participated in several decisions that intersect with her Catholic faith. In 2021, she ruled in favor of a Catholic social service agency that had been denied funding due to its refusal to adopt same-sex couples. She also voted with the majority to reject an appeal from a hospital affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church that sought to deny a hysterectomy to a transgender patient on religious grounds.
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Catholic upbringing
Amy Coney Barrett was born in 1972 in New Orleans, Louisiana, to Linda (née Vath) and Michael Coney. She is the eldest of seven children, with five sisters and a brother. Barrett has described herself as a faithful Catholic, and her family is devoutly Catholic. Her father is an ordained deacon at St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Metairie, Louisiana, where she grew up.
Barrett attended St. Mary's Dominican High School, an all-girls Roman Catholic high school in New Orleans. She graduated in 1990 and went on to attend Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, where she majored in English literature and minored in French. Since birth, she has been a member of the Christian parachurch community People of Praise, an ecumenical covenant community founded in South Bend, Indiana. The group is associated with the Catholic charismatic renewal movement but is not formally affiliated with the Catholic Church. About 90% of its approximately 1,700 members are Catholic.
In People of Praise, Barrett has served as a lay pastoral women's leader, a position once termed "handmaiden" but now termed "women leader". Her picture appears in a May 2006 edition of People of Praise's magazine, which documents her participation in a Leaders' Conference for Women. Her father and husband, Jesse Barrett, are also known members.
Barrett's Catholic faith has been a topic of interest and discussion during her nomination and confirmation process for the Supreme Court. Democrats were particularly concerned about her views on abortion and the Affordable Care Act. In 2012, as a professor at Notre Dame, she signed a letter attacking a provision of the ACA that required insurance companies to offer coverage for contraception.
Barrett has stated that her religious beliefs would not influence her duties as a judge. However, her membership in the secretive Catholic group People of Praise has drawn attention, with some claiming that the group adheres to a highly authoritarian structure.
As a Supreme Court Justice, Barrett has participated in several cases involving religious organizations and the boundaries between church and state. In November 2021, she voted with the majority in a 6-3 decision to reject an appeal from a hospital affiliated with the Roman Catholic Church that sought to deny a hysterectomy to a transgender patient on religious grounds. In June 2021, she joined a unanimous decision ruling in favor of a Catholic social service agency that was denied funding by the City of Philadelphia because it did not adopt same-sex couples.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Amy Coney Barrett is a Catholic. She was born into a Catholic family and has described herself as a faithful Catholic.
Yes, Barrett's Catholic faith has been a topic of discussion throughout her career. Her nomination to the Federal Court of Appeals in 2017 brought attention to her religious beliefs, with Democratic California Senator Dianne Feinstein remarking, "The dogma lives loudly within you". Barrett has also stated that legal careers should be seen as a means to the end of serving God.
People of Praise is a secretive Catholic "covenant community" that Amy Coney Barrett is a member of. The group emerged from the Catholic charismatic movement of the late 1960s and blends Catholicism and Protestant Pentecostalism. Members are expected to financially support one another, and married women count their husbands as their "heads".
Amy Coney Barrett's Catholic faith has influenced her views on certain legal issues, particularly those related to abortion and same-sex marriage. In 2012, she signed a letter attacking a provision of the Affordable Care Act that required insurance companies to offer coverage for contraception. She has also ruled in favour of a Catholic social service agency that refused to adopt to same-sex couples and joined a unanimous decision to reject an appeal from a Washington State florist who refused to sell floral arrangements to a same-sex couple based on her religious beliefs.
