US Publication NCR Urges Catholic Schools to Admit Children of Same-Sex Couples
On October 22, 2026, US Catholic publication National Catholic Reporter (NCR) published an editorial urging Catholic schools to admit children of same-sex couples regardless of the US Supreme Court’s forthcoming decision in a Colorado preschool education dispute.
The editors argue that admitting children to a church school is not simply a question of a legal right to turn families away. NCR points to differences among bishops in their approaches to children of same-sex couples and proposes evaluating such decisions primarily in the child’s interests.
The dispute is St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy, No. 25-581. According to the case docket, oral argument is scheduled for November 3, 2026. The case concerns Catholic preschools’ participation in Colorado’s Universal Preschool Program, which funds education at private and public providers.
Two Catholic parishes and a family, represented by religious liberty organization Becket, argue in their brief that the state’s rules violate their religious freedom. The preschools require families to support Church teaching, including its views on marriage and sexuality. The petitioners contend that secular participants receive exemptions while they are denied a comparable religious exemption.
Colorado officials, by contrast, maintain that the rules apply equally to everyone. Their position is that religious providers may teach their faith but cannot refuse children because of their own or their parents’ sexual orientation or gender identity. The state argues that support for children with disabilities and low-income families is not equivalent to an exemption from the nondiscrimination requirement.
On September 30, 2025, the US Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit upheld applying the nondiscrimination requirement to these providers. It said the program welcomes religious providers and its funding conditions do not violate the First Amendment. The Supreme Court has not yet decided the merits of the case.
NCR is an independent Catholic publication founded in the US in 1964. It is accountable to a lay board of directors. The published appeal reflects its editors’ position.
Urania previously reported on journalist Michael O’Loughlin’s appointment as NCR’s chief executive.
