This week marks a significant victory—not just for the College of St. Joseph the Worker, but for the principle that religious identity need not disqualify institutions from participating in public initiatives that benefit communities.
After months of legal wrangling and a high-profile challenge brought by the ACLU of West Virginia and the American Humanist Association, a Kanawha County judge has ruled decisively: while public funds cannot be used for religious purposes, they can support nonreligious activities carried out by faith-based institutions. In short, a Catholic school is not excluded from contributing to the common good simply because of its beliefs.
Judge Richard Lindsay’s order granting summary judgment confirms what many of us already knew—when government funding is applied to neutral, secular purposes such as infrastructure, construction, or workforce training, it passes constitutional muster. The College of St. Joseph the Worker will retain the $5 million state grant, with the clear understanding that it will be used for nonsectarian ends.
This is more than a legal win—it is a reaffirmation of balance. The state did not cross the line into religious endorsement, and the court made it clear that neutrality—not hostility—is the appropriate standard when religion intersects with public life.
Critics claim taxpayer dollars should never touch religious institutions, even indirectly. But such a rigid stance fails to recognize the valuable civic contributions made by faith-based organizations—especially in underserved areas. The College of St. Joseph the Worker is not proselytizing with public funds; it is helping build workforce capacity and economic opportunity in a state that desperately needs both. The adjusted grant guidelines now ensure that only secular, public-serving components of the college’s mission are supported.
In the end, the outcome strikes a reasonable and constitutional balance. Faith-based institutions should not be disqualified simply for who they are.
