Document ID: ./input/supremecourt_opinions/opinions/19pdf/19-267_1an2.pdf
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4 

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE SCHOOL v. 
MORRISSEY-BERRU 
Opinion of the Court 

Each year, Morrissey-Berru and OLG entered into an em-
ployment  agreement,  App.  21,3  that  set  out  the  school’s 
“mission”  and  Morrissey-Berru’s  duties.    See,  e.g.,  id.,  at 
154–164.4  The agreement stated that the school’s mission
was “to develop and promote a Catholic School Faith Com-
munity,” id., at 154, and it informed Morrissey-Berru that 
“[a]ll [her] duties and responsibilities as a Teache[r were to] 
be  performed  within  this  overriding  commitment.”    Ibid. 
The agreement explained that the school’s hiring and re-
tention decisions would be guided by its Catholic mission, 
and the agreement made clear that teachers were expected
to “model and promote” Catholic “faith and morals.”  Id., at 
155.  Under the agreement, Morrissey-Berru was required 
to participate in “[s]chool liturgical activities, as requested,” 
ibid., and the agreement specified that she could be termi-
nated “for ‘cause’ ” for failing to carry out these duties or for 
“conduct  that  brings  discredit  upon  the  School  or  the  Ro-
man Catholic Church.”  Id., at 155–157.  The agreement re-
quired  compliance  with  the  faculty  handbook,  which  sets 
out similar expectations.  Id., at 156; App. to Pet. for Cert. 
in No. 19–267, at 52a–55a.  The pastor of the parish, a Cath-
olic  priest,  had  to  approve  Morrissey-Berru’s  hiring  each 
year.  Id., at 14a; see also App. 164.

Like  all  teachers  in  the  Archdiocese  of  Los  Angeles, 
Morrissey-Berru  was  “considered  a  catechist,”  i.e.,  “a 
teacher of religio[n].”  App. to Pet. for Cert. in No. 19–267, 
at  56a,  60a.  Catechists  are  “responsible  for  the  faith  for-
mation  of  the  students  in  their  charge  each  day.”    Id.,  at 

—————— 

3 This appears to have been a standard contract used within the Arch-

diocese of Los Angeles.  See App. 154; cf. id., at 230. 

4 It is not entirely clear from the record whether teachers at OLG must
be Catholic.  Id., at 113 (“ [Q.] ‘Is it a requirement that a teacher be Cath-
olic in order to teach at OLG School?  Yes or no?’ [A.] Yes”); but see ibid. 
(“Exceptions can be made”); id., at 154 (“If you are Roman Catholic[,] you 
must be in good standing with the Church” (emphasis added)).  But it is 
clearly preferred.  Id., at 110.