(OSV News) — The Catholic Church “maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates,” said U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops spokesperson Chieko Noguchi, following a recent court case in which a long-standing federal ban against such activity appeared to have been partly relaxed. Noguchi issued the statement July 8, a day after the Internal Revenue Service agreed in a court filing that a house of worship addressing its congregation about electoral politics in the context of religious faith does not violate the Johnson Amendment. Approved by Congress in 1954, the amendment prohibits 501(c)(3) organizations — a type of tax-exempt nonprofit under U.S. tax code, and the typical corporate structure for churches, worship communities and charities in the nation — from engaging in political campaign activity. In 1987, Congress clarified that the ban includes statements opposing candidates. “The Catholic Church maintains its stance of not endorsing or opposing political candidates.