Cardinal Timothy Dolan praised the Supreme Court's recent ruling in the case of 303 Creative v. Elenis, saying people should be allowed to hold different opinions on moral matters. 

In the Creative v. Elenis case, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Lorie Smith, a Christian web designer in Colorado who expressed discomfort in being asked to create web pages for same-sex marriages, saying it conflicted with her religious beliefs.

“This case was never about discrimination,” Dolan said in a statement put out by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). “It was about moral disagreement. The government must allow room for people to disagree on hot-button issues. It’s even more important when the person disagreeing has an unpopular view.” 

Dolan, who is affiliated with the Archdiocese of New York, chairs the Committee for Religious Liberty at the USCCB.

“Ms. Smith is perfectly willing to design other kinds of websites for same-sex-attracted customers," Dolan continued. "In the same way, the ministries of the Church provide goods and loving care to everyone in direct need of assistance, no questions asked. Problems only arise when the government tries to force us to support, by our words or actions, behavior that we believe is wrong.”

Smith own the 303 Creative LLC web design company. She filed suit in an effort to protect against potential repercussions under Colorado's anti-discrimination law. Her case stemmed from her refusal to create web pages associated with same-sex marriages. She cited potential First Amendment violations if she is forced to "speak or stay silent.” Colorado's Anti-Discrimination Act protects sexual orientation and gender identity. The Supreme Court sided with Smith, Catholic News Agency reported. 

“In this case, Colorado seeks to force an individual to speak in ways that align with its views but defy her conscience about a matter of major significance,” Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch said, according to a report by the Catholic News Agency. “But, as this court has long held, the opportunity to think for ourselves and to express those thoughts freely is among our most cherished liberties and part of what keeps our republic strong."

President Joe Biden said he disagreed with the decision. He underscored the importance of preventing discrimination based on one's identity or love interests.

"In America, no person should face discrimination simply because of who they are or who they love,” Biden said in a White House statement. “The Supreme Court's disappointing decision in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis undermines that basic truth, and painfully it comes during Pride month when millions of Americans across the country join together to celebrate the contributions, resilience, and strength of the LGBTQI+ community.”