Philadelphia, Pa., May 22, 2017 / 02:04 am
In his address to graduating seminarians on Wednesday, United States Supreme Court Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr. emphasized the importance of religious freedom and the dangers it faces today.
Religious freedom means that "no one is forced to act in violation of his own beliefs," Alito said, according to Catholic Philly. "Most of my life Americans were instilled in this," he added, and urged the audience "keep the flame burning."
Alito gave the keynote address at the concursus ceremony for the graduating class of St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia May 17, where he also received the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, Honorus Causa, from Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia.
He was awarded the degree "in testimony to and recognition of his many outstanding contributions to society … especially in protecting the sanctity and dignity of human life, the full responsibilities of the human person and promoting true justice and lasting peace," Archbishop Chaput said.