He Was A Man Of 'Captivating Brilliance'

The following is from catholicvote.org: Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has died.  His death is an incredible loss for his wonderful family -- his wife Maureen, their nine children and 28 grandchildren.  His death is also a loss for our country, especially the United States Supreme Court where he served since 1986.  It’s not hyperbole to acknowledge that Antonin Scalia sparked a renaissance in Constitutional law. Before Scalia, the legal philosophy en vogue was viewing the Constitution as a “living breathing document” which could be adapted whenever judges saw fit.  Justice Scalia argued instead for originalism, which meant judges must restrain themselves and interpret the Constitution by looking to what was actually written and intended, not what we want it to mean today. While Scalia didn’t secure a majority of justices to agree with him in every case, his understanding of the Constitution led to a renewed defense of our most cherished rights, judicial restraint, limited government, including religious liberty.  He was a towering legal giant, and history will long remember him as tough but fair. His closest friend on the court was Justice Ginsburg. Yesterday Ginsburg called him a “jurist of captivating brilliance and wit, with a rare talent to make even the most sober judge laugh.”  Scalia’s death has created a perfect political storm of sorts, coming during an election year with several significant cases set to be heard, and the balance of the court up for grabs.  But politics can wait for now.  Born in Trenton, NJ, and growing up in Queens, Scalia loved his childhood, loved stickball, and loved New York. He was raised in the Catholic faith and was a brilliant student. He had a great sense of humor too. He once joked: “In a big family the first child is kind of like the first pancake. If it's not perfect, that's okay, there are a lot more coming along.”  Today we simply ask you to thank God for the gift a man who served our Church and his country with devotion.  We pray for the repose of his soul and for consolation for his family.  We pray he may be welcomed this day into the sweet mystery of eternal life.