If Nothing Else, Reports that Roberts Is Catholic May Intensify Fight

Spiritdaily.com ^ | 07-20-05 | SpiritDaily.com

[Salvation]

IF NOTHING ELSE, REPORTS THAT ROBERTS IS PRACTICING CATHOLIC MAY INTENSIFY FIGHT

It's unclear how intense the battle over Supreme Court nominee John Roberts will be. "Easy time seen for judicial nominee," said The Washington Times. "Battle Looms," headlined MSNBC. "Confirmation battle looms," added CBS almost identically.

"This should be a straightforward confirmation," said Senator Jeff Sessions, Alabama Republican and member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will hold hearings on the nomination.

"The president has chosen someone with suitable legal credentials, but that is not the end of our inquiry," Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, opined.

And so we see how unclear, as yet, that the battle lines are.

Predictably, radical groups like the NARAL Pro-Choice America and Move On quickly denounced the selection. Conservatives were generally pleased -- very pleased -- although some fretted that because so little is known about Judge Roberts -- because there is a thin "paper trail" on his views -- he could turn out to be another David Souter, who President Bush's father placed on the Court and who turned out to be pro-choice despite contrary expectations.

While Roberts has argued against Roe versus Wade -- the landmark 1973 decision that allowed abortion -- he has also stated that Roe is the "settled law of the land."

Which views are his and which are those of the clients he had represented?

The reports are that Judge Roberts' wife, Jane Sullivan Roberts, once served as vice president for a group called Feminists for Life.  We know that she attended the College of The Holy Cross and is a member of the board of governors of the John Carroll Society, a Catholic lay organization that sponsors the annual Washington archdiocesan Red Mass before the opening of the Supreme Court term. Judge Roberts is himself -- reportedly -- a practicing Catholic. He grew up in Long Beach, Indiana, where he attended Catholic elementary and high schools. He was captain of the football team and class president at La Lumiere, a Catholic college prep school, before going on to earn undergraduate and law degrees from Harvard.

If confirmed, Roberts would be the eleventh Catholic to serve on the court.

And that alone greatly increases the chance of conflict.

Look at two of the Catholics on the current bench. They are the lightning rods: Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas. 

"Judge Robert's confirmation hearings are ripe for anti- religious bigotry," said Fidelis President Joseph Cella. "Judge Roberts is a faithful Catholic, who is devoted to his wife and children. With the history of Catholic and Christian judicial nominees attacked because of their religious faith and family life in past Senate confirmation hearings, we call on Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, ranking member Senator Patrick Leahy, Senators Charles Schumer, Dick Durbin and Russ Feingold to prevent this vile brand of hate politics from entering this important process. Judge Roberts is an eminently qualified jurist, and his outstanding legal credentials and temperament should enable his confirmation prior to the Supreme Court reconvening on October 3."

[Salvation]

**why do the majority of Catholics vote for them?**

That is becoming an old wives' tale.

This year more Catholics voted for Bush than for Kerry -- and Kerry was the Catholic in Name Only! [for abortion, however1] The younger voters are having their say! Horray!

[Salvation]

Torie, you may think it is irrelevant. But the pro-lifers care a lot!

[Torie]

Let me help you with some of this. The personal beliefs of Justices about abortion as a religious matter, or public policy matter, should be totally irrelevant to how they interpret the Constitution. As I said, it is irrelevant, totally irrelevant.

[Salvation]

	Service		Birth
Name, state	Term	Yrs	Place	Date	Died	Religion
Chief Justices
John Jay, N.Y.	1789-1795	5	N.Y.	1745	1829	Episcopal
John Rutledge, S.C.	1795	0	S.C.	1739	1800	Church of England
Oliver Ellsworth, Conn.	1796-1800	4	Conn.	1745	1807	Congregational
John Marshall, Va.	1801-1835	34	Va.	1755	1835	Episcopal
Roger B. Taney, Md.	1836-1864	28	Md.	1777	1864	Catholic
Salmon P. Chase, Ohio	1864-1873	8	N.H.	1808	1873	Episcopal
Morrison R. Waite, Ohio	1874-1888	14	Conn.	1816	1888	Episcopal
Melville W. Fuller, Ill.	1888-1910	21	Maine	1833	1910	Episcopal
Edward D. White, La.	1910-1921	10	La.	1845	1921	Catholic
William H. Taft, Conn.	1921-1930	8	Ohio	1857	1930	Unitarian
Charles E. Hughes, N.Y.	1930-1941	11	N.Y.	1862	1948	Baptist
Harlan F. Stone, N.Y.	1941-1946	4	N.H.	1872	1946	Episcopal
Frederick M. Vinson, Ky.	1946-1953	7	Ky.	1890	1953	Methodist
Earl Warren, Calif.	1953-1969	15	Calif.	1891	1974	Protestant
Warren E. Burger, Va.	1969-1986	17	Minn.	1907	1995	Presbyterian
William H. Rehnquist, Ariz.	1986-	—	Wis.	1924	—	Lutheran
Associate Justices
James Wilson, Pa.	1789-1798	8	Scotland	1742	1798	Episcopal
John Rutledge, S.C.	1790-1791	1	S.C.	1739	1800	Church of England
William Cushing, Mass.	1790-1810	20	Mass.	1732	1810	Unitarian
John Blair, Va.	1790-1796	5	Va.	1732	1800	Presbyterian
James Iredell, N.C.	1790-1799	9	England	1751	1799	Episcopal
Thomas Johnson, Md.	1792-1793	0	Md.	1732	1819	Episcopal
William Paterson, N.J.	1793-1806	13	Ireland	1745	1806	Protestant
Samuel Chase, Md.	1796-1811	15	Md.	1741	1811	Episcopal
Bushrod Washington, Va.	1799-1829	30	Va.	1762	1829	Episcopal
Alfred Moore, N.C.	1800-1804	3	N.C.	1755	1810	Episcopal
William Johnson, S.C.	1804-1834	30	S.C.	1771	1834	Presbyterian
Brockholst Livingston, N.Y.	1807-1823	16	N.Y.	1757	1823	Presbyterian
Thomas Todd, Ky.	1807-1826	18	Va.	1765	1826	Presbyterian
Gabriel Duval, Md.	1811-1835	23	Md.	1752	1844	French Protestant
Joseph Story, Mass.	1812-1845	33	Mass.	1779	1845	Unitarian
Smith Thompson, N.Y.	1823-1843	20	N.Y.	1768	1843	Presbyterian
Robert Trimble, Ky.	1826-1828	2	Va.	1777	1828	Protestant
John McLean, Ohio	1830-1861	31	N.J.	1785	1861	Methodist-Epis.
Henry Baldwin, Pa.	1830-1844	14	Conn.	1780	1844	Trinity Church
James M. Wayne, Ga.	1835-1867	32	Ga.	1790	1867	Protestant
Philip P. Barbour, Va.	1836-1841	4	Va.	1783	1841	Episcopal
John Catron, Tenn.	1837-1865	28	Pa.	1786	1865	Presbyterian
John McKinley, Ala.	1837-1852	14	Va.	1780	1852	Protestant
Peter V. Daniel, Va.	1841-1860	18	Va.	1784	1860	Episcopal
Samuel Nelson, N.Y.	1845-1872	27	N.Y.	1792	1873	Protestant
Levi Woodbury, N.H.	1845-1851	5	N.H.	1789	1851	Protestant
Robert C. Grier, Pa.	1846-1870	23	Pa.	1794	1870	Presbyterian
Benjamin R. Curtis, Mass.	1851-1857	5	Mass.	1809	1874	(2)
John A. Campbell, Ala.	1853-1861	8	Ga.	1811	1889	Episcopal
Nathan Clifford, Maine	1858-1881	23	N.H.	1803	1881	(1)
Noah H. Swayne, Ohio	1862-1881	18	Va.	1804	1884	Quaker
Samuel F. Miller, Iowa	1862-1890	28	Ky.	1816	1890	Unitarian
David Davis, Ill.	1862-1877	14	Md.	1815	1886	(4)
Stephen J. Field, Calif.	1863-1897	34	Conn.	1816	1899	Episcopal
William Strong, Pa.	1870-1880	10	Conn.	1808	1895	Presbyterian
Joseph P. Bradley, N.J.	1870-1892	21	N.Y.	1813	1892	Presbyterian
Ward Hunt, N.Y.	1872-1882	9	N.Y.	1810	1886	Episcopal
John M. Harlan, Ky.	1877-1911	33	Ky.	1833	1911	Presbyterian
William B. Woods, Ga.	1880-1887	6	Ohio	1824	1887	Protestant
Stanley Matthews, Ohio	1881-1889	7	Ohio	1824	1889	Presbyterian
Horace Gray, Mass.	1882-1902	20	Mass.	1828	1902	(3)
Samuel Blatchford, N.Y.	1882-1893	11	N.Y.	1820	1893	Presbyterian
Lucius Q. C. Lamar, Miss.	1888-1893	5	Ga.	1825	1893	Methodist
David J. Brewer, Kan.	1889-1910	20	Asia Minor	1837	1910	Protestant
Henry B. Brown, Mich.	1890-1906	15	Mass.	1836	1913	Protestant
George Shiras, Jr., Pa.	1892-1903	10	Pa.	1832	1924	Presbyterian
Howell E. Jackson, Tenn.	1893-1895	2	Tenn.	1832	1895	Baptist
Edward D. White, La.*	1894-1910	16	La.	1845	1921	Catholic
Rufus W. Peckham, N.Y.	1895-1909	13	N.Y.	1838	1909	Episcopal
Joseph McKenna, Calif.	1898-1925	26	Pa.	1843	1926	Catholic
Oliver W. Holmes, Mass.	1902-1932	29	Mass.	1841	1935	Unitarian
William R. Day, Ohio	1903-1922	19	Ohio	1849	1923	Protestant
William H. Moody, Mass.	1906-1910	3	Mass.	1853	1917	Episcopal
Horace H. Lurton, Tenn.	1909-1914	4	Ky.	1844	1914	Episcopal
Charles E. Hughes, N.Y.*	1910-1916	5	N.Y.	1862	1948	Baptist
Willis Van Devanter, Wyo.	1910-1937	26	Ind.	1859	1941	Episcopal
Joseph R. Lamar, Ga.	1910-1916	4	Ga.	1857	1916	Ch. of Disciples
Mahlon Pitney, N.J.	1912-1922	10	N.J.	1858	1924	Presbyterian
James C. McReynolds, Tenn.	1914-1941	26	Ky.	1862	1946	Disciples of Christ
Louis D. Brandeis, Mass.	1916-1939	22	Ky.	1856	1941	Jewish
John H. Clarke, Ohio	1916-1922	5	Ohio	1857	1945	Protestant
George Sutherland, Utah	1922-1938	15	England	1862	1942	Episcopal
Pierce Butler, Minn.	1923-1939	16	Minn.	1866	1939	Catholic
Edward T. Sanford, Tenn.	1923-1930	7	Tenn.	1865	1930	Episcopal
Harlan F. Stone, N.Y.*	1925-1941	16	N.H.	1872	1946	Episcopal
Owen J. Roberts, Pa.	1930-1945	15	Pa.	1875	1955	Episcopal
Benjamin N. Cardozo, N.Y.	1932-1938	6	N.Y.	1870	1938	Jewish
Hugo L. Black, Ala.	1937-1971	34	Ala.	1886	1971	Baptist
Stanley F. Reed, Ky.	1938-1957	19	Ky.	1884	1980	Protestant
Felix Frankfurter, Mass.	1939-1962	23	Austria	1882	1965	Jewish
William O. Douglas, Conn.	1939-1975	36	Minn.	1898	1980	Presbyterian
Frank Murphy, Mich.	1940-1949	9	Mich.	1890	1949	Catholic
James F. Byrnes, S.C.	1941-1942	1	S.C.	1879	1972	Episcopal
Robert H. Jackson, Pa.	1941-1954	13	N.Y.	1892	1954	Episcopal
Wiley B. Rutledge, Iowa	1943-1949	6	Ky.	1894	1949	Unitarian
Harold H. Burton, Ohio	1945-1958	13	Mass.	1888	1964	Unitarian
Tom C. Clark, Tex.	1949-1967	17	Tex.	1899	1977	Presbyterian
Sherman Minton, Ind.	1949-1956	7	Ind.	1890	1965	Catholic
John M. Harlan, N.Y.	1955-1971	16	Ill.	1899	1971	Presbyterian
William J. Brennan, Jr., N.J.	1956-1990	33	N.J.	1906	1997	Catholic
Charles E. Whittaker, Mo.	1957-1962	5	Kan.	1901	1973	Methodist
Potter Stewart, Ohio	1958-1981	23	Mich.	1915	1985	Episcopal
Byron R. White, Colo.	1962-1993	31	Colo.	1917	2002	Episcopal
Arthur J. Goldberg, Ill.	1962-1965	2	Ill.	1908	1990	Jewish
Abe Fortas, Tenn.	1965-1969	3	Tenn.	1910	1982	Jewish
Thurgood Marshall, N.Y.	1967-1991	24	Md.	1908	1993	Episcopal
Harry A. Blackmun, Minn.	1970-1994	24	Ill.	1908	1999	Methodist
Lewis F. Powell, Jr., Va.	1972-1987	15	Va.	1907	1998	Presbyterian
William H. Rehnquist, Ariz.*	1972-1986	14	Wis.	1924	—	Lutheran
John Paul Stevens, Ill.	1975-	—	Ill.	1920	—	Protestant
Sandra Day O'Connor, Ariz.	1981-	—	Tex.	1930	—	Episcopal
Antonin Scalia, D.C.	1986-	—	N.J.	1936	—	Catholic
Anthony M. Kennedy, Calif.	1988-	—	Calif.	1936	—	Catholic
David H. Souter, N.H.	1990-	—	Mass.	1939	—	Episcopal
Clarence Thomas, D.C.	1991-	—	Ga.	1948	—	Catholic
Ruth Bader Ginsburg, D.C.	1993-	—	N.Y.	1933	—	Jewish
Stephen G. Breyer, Mass.	1994-	—	Calif.	1938	—	n.a.

1. Congregational; later Unitarian.
2. Unitarian; then Episcopal.
3. Unitarian or Congregational.
4. Not a member of any church

[Torie]

Damn, not a near atheist in the bunch. I have NEVER had "representation." I ain't getting no equal protection. I'm gonna sue!

[NathanBookman]

I agree with you 100%. Religious affiliation should have no place in determining a Supreme Court nominee. The key focus should be the nominee's judicial philosophy (which their religion may or may not influence...just like any other life experience).

[26lemoncharlie]

He's deceased !!! That's what they like about him!!

[Torie]

Oh, stop being level headed and sensible. You will just bore everyone like I do. :)

[ChildOfThe60s]

I stand corrected. I did a little more research and you are corect.

Let me rephrase my comment. Why do *any* real, church going Catholics vote democrat? And I know some of them. The ersatz ones do not count.

[Salvation]

Catholic Discussion Ping!

Please notify me via FReepmail if you would like to be added to or taken off the Catholic Discussion Ping List.

[Salvation]

On the John G. Roberts nomination...

"Senate Democrats, especially those seeking re-election next year, should know that we will be watching them carefully. If they again attempt to attack a nominee's faith or pro-life convictions, their constituents will know about it and they will be held accountable." — Father Frank Pavone, national director, Priests for Life.

On the John G. Roberts nomination...

"Senate Democrats, especially those seeking re-election next year, should know that we will be watching them carefully. If they again attempt to attack a nominee's faith or pro-life convictions, their constituents will know about it and they will be held accountable." — Father Frank Pavone, national director, Priests for Life.

[A CA Guy]

I pray for God's will with Roberts.

[ElkGroveDan]

Huh...not a Muslim in the bunch. Thank God.

Must be why "Allah" is so upset.

[Smartass]

At the moment, Judge Roberts is our man

[Coleus]

Salvation, sometimes Torie likes to get under people's skin, don't worry about it. Also, this is significant because Bush understands how the Catholic Vote is a new driving force in the republican party. Hispanics are slowly coming around now that many are in their 2nd and 3rd generations. The Catholic vote was instrumental in the 2004 election where many of the Reagan democrats crossed over for the moral and pro-life issues and the church-going Catholics came out for Bush.

As far as pro-life being an issue, just ask the democrats that's all they're afraid of and talking about, just turn on the news, LOL. It's all about life since it's an unalienable right given to us by God and is the foundation of our republic as documented in the Declaration of Independence, the bill of rights especially in the 5th amendment. Those who engender certain catholic values understand the intent of our forefathers with respect to life, abortion, murder and morality and will interpret the US Constitution the proper way.

I have no problem with the font of the original thread and don't dwell on minutia.

FYI, Clarence Thomas is divorced and remarried and is now an Episcopalian.

Isn't Kofi Annan a Catholic, seems there is nothing written about it? Is the press trying to hide something

[Aussie Dasher]

I wonder how that "staunch Catholic" (LOL!!!) Lard Ass Kennedy will react if Catholicism becomes an issue...

[Teplukin]

It is a non-issue to me if he is a Catholic. However, he should remember his loyalty lies to the Constitution, not the Pope.

[Torie]

I do get irriatable from time to time, when annoyed. I admit it. So is, or is not, Thomas now an Episcopalean (sp) or a Catholic? I have read that he returned to Catholcism on this very site a couple of years ago. This is really, really, very, very, important to me.

[SaltyJoe]

Why was the first episode of "Survivor" so captivating?

Why is "American Idol" hard to ignore?

Why do we pour our interests over celebrities on trial?

Why will we watch SCOTUS nominations the way Bork and Thomas were scorched under the spotlight?

Are we voyeurs enjoying others' pain?

No. We are DEFENDANTS looking for the Perfect Judge! A Merciful Judge, but a Judge Who IS All Just.

We aren't interested in the winning survivor of a dog eat dog TV game. We don't care about celebrity justice. And how many of us are stocking up on the teenybopper idol CDs and posters?

Eucharistic Adoration will become standing room only.

[dangus]

Stevens is a nomial Christian, beloging to no denomination or church.