Priest's Suit Against Bishop Dismissed On Church Autonomy Grounds

A Nevada trial court has dismissed on church autonomy grounds a lawsuit brought by Rev. Richard DeMolen, a Catholic priest, against the Diocese of Reno and Bishop Randolph Calvo. The priest claimed that Bishop Calvo defamed him in a letter sent to parishioners. However the court said that the letter was part of the church's internal decision-making process. Fr. DeMolen was fired when he sought a court protective order after receiving a death threat he believed was from someone in the parish. According to yesterday's Reno Gazette Journal, the court held that the First Amendment precludes it from becoming involved in a contractual dispute between an employee and the religious organization that employs him.