In a short interview published in The Washington Post this weekend, scholar Barbara Perry spoke about her research for a book concerning the history of Catholics on the U.S. Supreme Court. She notes that Justice William Brennan said in a 1985 interview with her that his was indeed a "Catholic seat" on the court.She explained: "He said members of Eisenhower's administration even went to his priest and asked, `Is he a good Catholic?' " Perry said Brennan was concerned about representation for minority groups and women, "but back then he told me: `Fifty years from now, no one will care about these things."

Paul Moses is the author, most recently, of The Italian Squad: The True Story of the Immigrant Cops Who Fought the Rise of the Mafia (NYU Press, 2023). He is a contributing writer. Twitter: @PaulBMoses.

Also by this author
© 2024 Commonweal Magazine. All rights reserved. Design by Point Five. Site by Deck Fifty.