Quick Hits: Scalia's charity, the controversial nuncio, judging the Pope-Patriarch summit

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Feb 16, 2016 | In Quick Hits

• Much has been written about the late Justice Antonin Scalia, and how his Catholic faith helped to shape his judicial philosophy. But Justice Scalia’s faith was not just an abstract thing; it didn’t only influence how he thought. Jeffrey Tucker tells a very different sort of story, about how the great jurist behaved, when he thought no one was watching.


• A coalition of liberal Catholic groups in Switzerland (and in Switzerland, liberal Catholics are really liberal) is pressing for the removal of the apostolic nuncio , the American-born Archbishop Thomas Gullickson. Protesters charge that the outspoken archbishop with “hate speech” and say he threatens the unity of the Church. Others—including, I suspect, most users of this site—will find Archbishop Gullickson’s candor refreshing. His active presence on Facebook provides plenty of evidence for those who wish to form their own opinions.


• In the aftermath of the “summit meeting” between Pope Francis and Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, many analysts are asking whether the Russian prelate’s motives were more political than spiritual. Did you notice that the meeting was held at a completely secular venue—an airport—and involved no prayer? “Judging solely by the usual political measures, Kirill got far more out of Friday’s meeting than Francis,” observes John Allen, in piece explaining why it’s wise to be cautious about the long-term benefits of the meeting. He also suggests four standards for measuring the success of the meeting.