Fighting for the Right to Pray

Atty. Robert Muise, American Freedom Law Center: "If they want a fight, they got one."

Catholic Healthcare International (CHI) is suing Michigan's Genoa township after it was denied permission to build a chapel and prayer trail on land gifted to it by the Lansing diocese.

Catholic attorney Robert Muise of the American Freedom Law Center, based on "faith and trust in God," is representing CHI in a federal lawsuit against the township.

Muise says this lawsuit must be fought. 

Muise:

This case we have on behalf of CHI is exceedingly important not only for the religious rights of CHI, but for the religious rights of all freedom-loving Americans ... We have a very strong case. There is a federal law called the Religious Land Use Institutionalized Persons Act — or RLUIPA for short — and it was passed by Congress to prohibit this very type of discrimination.

He lays out the facts presented in the lawsuit.

Muise: "Denying construction of this very modest 95-seat prayer chapel on their prayer campus — it's a 40-acre lot — they're only going to build on five acres — it's egregious." 

"Pray, hope and don't worry," St. Pio said. 

Muise: "The 'don't worry' part is always the hardest part, but ... we have to turn it over and lift high our crosses."