Red Mass Marks Beginning of Supreme Court's October Term

The U.S. Supreme Court opens its new term today.  Yesterday, according to CNN, the traditional Red Mass was held at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington to mark the new term.  Among those in attendance was Vice President Joe Biden, Chief Justice John Roberts, and Associate Justices Samuel Alito, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Stephen Breyer.  Breyer was the only Justice attending who is not Catholic. He is Jewish.  The Court now is made up of six Catholics and three Jews. The homily at the Mass was given by Archbishop J. Augustine Di Noia.  During the current term, the Court will decide at least two cases involving the intersection of law and religion.  Arizona School Tuition Organization v. Winn involves a church-state challenge to Arizona's tuition tax credits (background), while Snyder v. Phelps involves a challenge by members of the anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church to a damage award against them for emotional distress caused by their picketing of a veteran's funeral (background).