Court Opinion

ID: 9499381
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-05 17:47:17.54664+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:59:28.611945
License: Public Domain

McKEAGUE, Circuit Judge,
concurring.
I concur fully in the majority’s opinion. I write separately to point out that there is an open question whether a religious organization can waive the ministerial exception. At least one circuit has held that “the ministerial exception ... is not subject to waiver or estoppel.” Tomic v. Catholic Diocese of Peoria, 442 F.3d 1036, 1042 (7th Cir.), cert. denied, — U.S. -, 127 S.Ct. 190, 166 L.Ed.2d 142 (2006). Given that Methodist Healthcare did not waive the exception under the facts of this case, the question of whether it could even do so is not squarely before us.