Pope Leo XIV praised a prominent conservative legal group for defending religious liberty.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty hosted the 2026 Canterbury Medal Gala in Philadelphia on Thursday, according to a press release. Pope Leo addressed the gala’s attendees in a letter ahead of the event.
“For over thirty years, the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty has gone to great efforts to defend this right, to the benefit of both individuals and larger communities,” Pope Leo said in the letter. “By ensuring that all men and women are free to act in conformity with the dictates of their conscience and to practice their faith openly, without coercion or fear, you work to safeguard the inviolable dignity of the human person.”
“Indeed, it is precisely in recognizing and defending this dignity that we can hope to establish a society that continues to promote the authentic development of every individual,” the American-born supreme pontiff stated.
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty is a “public-interest legal and educational institute with a mission to protect the free expression of all faiths,” according to its website. The non-profit is named for Saint Thomas Becket, the 12th-century Archbishop of Canterbury who was executed by King Henry II’s supporters after refusing to let the king interfere with the Catholic Church’s affairs.
Hobby Lobby founders David and Barbara Green retained Becket in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby (2014), where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that corporations can be granted religious exceptions after President Barack Obama’s administration tried to require the retail chain to provide health insurance coverage for certain contraceptives under the Affordable Care Act. More recently, Becket was retained in Mahmoud v. Taylor (2025), where the Court ruled 6-3 that the Montgomery Board of Education in Maryland violated parents’ religious freedom by not allowing them to opt their children out of LGBTQ+-themed books.
“Religious freedom is at the heart of the American story,” Becket Fund CEO Mark Rienzi said in the press release. “For 250 years, it has enabled people of differing and conflicting beliefs to live together in peace. Becket exists to ensure that each new generation of Americans can write its own chapter of that story. We look forward to carrying our mission into America’s next 250 years.”
The Canterbury Medal is awarded annually by the Becket Fund to reward “courageous defenders of religious liberty.” Past recipients include Cardinal Timothy Dolan in 2025, former Republican Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch (2021), and long-time U.S. Senate chaplain Barry Black (2019). This year, it was awarded to Becket Fund Chairman William P. Mumma for his role in shaping the non-profit’s vision over the years.
“Religious liberty has to be defended. The last 50 years have taught us not to take it for granted. We learned the high price of complacency. The Becket Fund was early to see the sinister risk our country faced, thanks to Seamus Hasson,” Mumma’s son said on his behalf during the acceptance speech. “From its small beginning the Becket Fund, thanks to all of you, has grown into a powerful force. Our victories have been sweet, but now is not the time for a return to complacency. I urge all of you to redouble your commitment to this noble cause.”
Former U.S. Solicitor General Paul Clement gave the keynote address, according to the press release. Clement served under President George W. Bush, where he successfully defended the White House’s ability to fund religious charity organizations in Hein v. Freedom From Religion Foundation, Inc (2007).
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