The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to review a religious liberty dispute stemming from a zoning conflict in Park Hills, Kentucky. The case centers on whether local officials can block the construction of a Catholic shrine based on neighborhood objections.

Missionaries of St. John the Baptist operate Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel in Park Hills, located just south of Cincinnati, Ohio. The religious association plans to build a grotto honoring the Marian apparitions that occurred in Lourdes, France, in 1858. The proposed site includes statues of Mary and St. Bernadette, along with a patio and walkway.

The Park Hills city board granted a variance from local zoning ordinances to permit the construction. However, neighbors Joel and Elizabeth Frederic filed a lawsuit to stop the project, citing concerns about increased traffic and parking issues if the location became a pilgrimage destination.

The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled against the chapel, determining that the city board had exceeded its authority by granting the variance. The Catholic association contends that blocking the construction violates the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA).

First Liberty Institute is providing legal representation for the chapel. Kelly Shackelford of the institute criticized the lower court’s decision, stating, “Telling a church it can’t build a modest place for prayer and reflection on its own property is outrageous.”

The Supreme Court has not yet scheduled oral arguments for the case. The ruling will clarify the balance between local zoning authority and federal protections for religious land use.