Speaking at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, United States Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito commented on the state of religious freedom in America. His warning that the basic right outlined in the U.S. Constitution is losing traction echoes sentiments he expressed during a conference on religious freedom last summer, in Rome.
During an address at the Catholic University of America, Justice Alito described the role his religious convictions play in his work as a judge in the high court. He described his faith as having a ‘real-world’ impact on the decisions he makes. Asked how his personal faith affects his work, Alito said that judges can impact people “indirectly but sometimes very powerfully” through their decisions.
“It’s important to keep in mind that these decisions are not abstract discussions – they have real impact on the world,” he said at the Catholic University of America in Washington.
(SRN News)
Alito’s comments resonate with a speech he delivered at a religious freedom conference in Rome, last July. The Supreme Court Justice, who has become a leading voice among the conservative judges on the court, spoke about the crisis in which he perceives religious freedom to be.
“It is hard to convince people that religious liberty is worth defending if they don’t think that religion is a good thing that deserves protection,” Alito said, before outlining some arguments that might find traction with what he called an “increasing” number of people who reject religion or don’t consider it important.
(Politico)
Justice Alito’s defense of religious freedom in the U.S. is especially notable as attacks on ordinary Americans on the part of institutions such as the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation seem to be on the rise. Most recently, a Catholic pro-life volunteer was arrested by F.B.I. agents in his own home, in front of his family.
