Antonin Scalia saw no conflict loving God and loving one’s country, the late Supreme Court justice’s son told the audience at Scalia’s funeral on Saturday.
During a funeral homily in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., the Rev. Paul Scalia cited his father’s legacy to make a case for reducing barriers between church and state.
The conservative icon, who died last week at 79, loved his family and his country, his son said.
“He knew well what a close-run thing the founding of our nation was, and he saw in our founding, as did the founders themselves, a blessing,” Scalia said. “A blessing quickly lost when faith is banned from the public square, or when we refuse to bring it there.”
“So he understood there is no conflict between loving God and loving one’s country,” Scalia continued. “Between one’s faith and one’s public service. Dad understood that the deeper he went in his Catholic faith, the better a citizen and public servant he became. God blessed him with a desire to be the country’s good servant, because he was God’s first.”
Scalia’s homily followed remarks by Cardinal Donald Wuerl, the archbishop of Washington, who called Scalia an “extraordinary man.” Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas read to the audience a passage from the New Testament’s Book of Romans.
Many big names in the political sphere attended the funeral, including Vice President Joe Biden and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Also attending was Republican presidential candidate, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who left the campaign trail for the service despite the South Carolina primary taking place on Saturday.
President Obama did not attend the funderal, though he paid his respects to Scalia on Friday when the late justice’s body laid in repose in the Great Hall of the Supreme Court building.
