Catholic League (U.S.)
The Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights is a large Catholic civil rights organization in the United States, with the proclaimed mission of defending the civil and religious rights of Catholics to participate in American public life without defamation or discrimination. The organization also promotes conservative political viewpoints. Founded in 1973 by Jesuit Father Virgil C. Blum SJ, it is a lay organization funded by individual donations. The Catholic League is headquartered in New York. Its efforts are coordinated by a Board of Directors under its popular president, William A. Donohue.
The Catholic League focuses on highlighting alleged defamation or discrimination rooted in anti-Catholic attitudes and promoting Catholic friendly conservative political action. To accomplish this the organization issues press releases to the print, television, radio and internet media, contacts individuals or leaders responsible for alleged anti-Catholicism, organizes boycotts of unapologetic groups responsible for alleged anti-Catholicism, and holds press conferences to discuss incidents of alleged anti-Catholicism. The League issues a journal, Catalyst, as well as reports, such as "Pope Pius XII and the Holocaust", books/brochures and an annual Report on Anti-Catholicism.
The Catholic League's positions on abortion, marriage, religious freedom, and other issues reflect official teachings of the Catholic Church. The league has been at odds with other civil rights groups, such as the ACLU, that advocate for legalized abortion, homosexual marriage, and the suppression of many public references to religion.
Board of Advisors
An array of prominent lay Catholics serve on the Catholic League's Board of Advisors: L. Brent Bozell III, Gerard Bradley, Linda Chavez, Robert Destro, Dinesh D'Souza, Laura Garcia, Robert George, Mary Ann Glendon, Dolores Grier, Alan Keyes, Stephen Krason, Tom Monaghan, Michael Novak, Kate O'Beirne, Thomas Reeves, Patrick Riley, Robert Royal, Russell Shaw, Bill Simon, Paul Vitz and George Weigel.