Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, the serious and faithful Catholic, down-to-earth, good-humored and unquestioningly superb brilliant legal mind who has served on the U.S. Supreme Court for 30 years was found dead of natural causes at a Texas ranch Saturday morning. His life is a legacy to all of us, especially to Catholic business professionals, as one worthy of imitation.
“I am saddened to report that our colleague Justice Antonin Scalia has passed away,” Chief Justice John Roberts said in a statement. “He was an extraordinary individual and jurist, admired and treasured by his colleagues. His passing is a great loss to the court and the country he so loyally served.”
Without a moment of lingering in acknowledgment or praise of Justice Scalia’s brilliant career and service to our nation, President Obama quickly followed a brief statment with the anouncement of his intention to nominate a replacement. And so the battle begins…
But the personality and, more importantly, the Faith-based habits and principles, as well as the cultural and legal impact of Justice Antonin Scalia, his opinions and his searingly direct and common sense questions in the courtroom—all standing in sharp contrast to today’s fractious, non-sensical culture—calls for a much deeper, lingering and genuine acknowledgement and appreciation for this great life.
Santa Paula, California-based Thomas Aquinas College president Michael McLean, Ph.D. was the first of Catholic college presidents to express condolences, calling Justice Scalia “a faithful Catholic, a patriot and a brilliant jurist.”
Dr. McLean continued: “Justice Scalia will long be remembered for his fidelity to the Constitution of the United States. His passing today is an enormous loss for our country.”
Justice Scalia had visited the Thomas Aquinas College campus in 1997, about which Dr. McLean recalls: “It was as much an honor for us to host him then as it was a delight to make his acquaintance. In more recent years, we have had the pleasure of knowing his son, Fr. Paul Scalia, of the Diocese of Arlington, who now serves as chaplain to our Board of Regents there.”
Dr. McLean echoes the sentiments of many, including those of us at the Catholic Business Journal, in his concluding remarks: “To Fr. Scalia and all his family, we extend our deepest sympathies for the loss of this great man, and a promise of our prayers for the happy repose of his soul.”
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