I apologize for the short diary, but I thought this was something that was covered here during the course of the day ... Alas, I see no diaries regarding the subject matter, and I think that this is something that should be discussed ...
Anyhow ... Guess which of the nine Justices did not show up for Pope Francis' speech to a Joint Session of Congress today:
http://www.politico.com/...
Cameras showed Chief Justice John Roberts joined by justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Sonia Sotomayor. Roberts, Kennedy and Sotomayor are all Catholics, while Ginsburg is Jewish.
Notably absent were Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito, all of whom are Catholic. Also absent were Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan, who are Jewish.
https://popevisit2015.yahoo.com/...
Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia, Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas — all conservative Catholics — took a pass on the opportunity to hear from the leader of their church.
It’s possible that all three had scheduling conflicts ... More likely, however, the three justices were simply more discreet than Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., who announced to media this week that he was boycotting the pope’s talk over concerns that the pontiff was acting “like a leftist politician.”
The conspicuous absences were a bit surprising, given that the current Supreme Court is sometimes characterized as the “Catholic court.” ... the most conservative members of the court have not been shy about identifying with their church.
I don't presume to know why the three Catholic Justices did not attend, but I have a hunch ... Nevertheless, I find it incredible that the three would pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, regardless of their political persuasions.