Father Paul's Message

Me, I'm a push over for a well delivered lecture so I eat up a good homily ; if still ambulatory, I'd probably go to church again. This Saturday I stayed glued to the TV and watched Supreme Court Justice Antonine Scalia's funeral in America's Cathedral at Catholic University, Washington DC.

Father Paul Scalia delivered a strong, well thought out homily in honor of his deceased father Judge Antonine Scalia. Father Paul officiated over the entire funeral service which seemed to go over without a hitch.

His homily began with him telling us, his huge audience, what he wanted us to remember : about yesterday, today, and for evermore (for eternity - for hope) ; he then told how his father fit into this matrix ; finally, he reinforced this trilogy by summing up his three pronged homily by reinforcing each time element.

Laced with subtle humor, Father Paul, spoke lovingly of the man lying before him and before the World. Many a listener would sometimes get a child's name confused with another, no matter how intelligent he was, if nine names were in the mix. Father Paul's grasp of "the big picture" shone through his dissertation in a way which will last and last.

I could only think of my grandson, Connor Kurtz, who just graduated from Catholic University this winter and had been a tour guide of the campus while a student there, and was extremely familiar with all we saw on TV. I have yet to question Connor about his impressions of the funeral service. Great job, Father Paul ! May your father rest in peace !

Ronald C. Downie