Freedom of Speech Prevails! Exciting update on our case against the city

• Posted on 6 September 2023
• By Vicky Diloné
• Posted in Posts by Vicky
• 0

Queen of Angels is pleased to announce that we have won our federal lawsuit against the city of Jacksonville and are now free to express and practice our Catholic faith without prosecution! What a great gift on the birthday of our Blessed Mother Mary!

With the legal support of Alliance Defending Freedom, we filed a lawsuit back in February, challenging a city law that threatened to silence us for speaking the Truth of the Catholic faith. The Jacksonville Human Rights Ordinance would have required us to engage in expression contrary to reality, such as using pronouns or titles for customers that went against their biological sex and prohibiting us from explaining the dangers gender ideology on our website. 

Today, the district court has ruled that the law violated our First Amendment rights. Jacksonville now recognizes Queen of Angels as a religious organization and has agreed to exempt us from its law.

Ms. DeTrude, the owner, and the rest of the staff are very happy with the outcome of Queen of Angels Catholic Bookstore v. Jacksonville. The decision comes as no surprise because the Truth and morality will always prevail.

Queen of Angels is here to serve all people and we gladly welcome everyone to shop at our store. Our mission is not to exclude anyone, as some falsely argue, but to be a beacon of Jesus Christ's love in the city of Jacksonville and the Diocese of St. Augustine. 

Now more than ever, Queen of Angels needs your prayers! As the good news of victory in court spreads, those who oppose the Truth may try to harass us online and even in the store. 

Please pray for the safety of our staff and property, as well for our friends at Alliance Defending Freedom.

Most of all, pray for the victims of gender ideology who have fallen prey to lies of the devil and their families.

Mary, Queen of Angels, pray for us!

Click on the links to view relevant documents to the case:

• One page summary of the case

• Consent order and declaration

• Motion for summary judgment on the religious organization exemption

• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida order

• Plaintiff's memorandum in support of motion for preliminary injunction

• Complaint