Knights have key role in pledge case accepted by Supreme Court

Published: 2003-10-15

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- The Knights of Columbus, both historically and in the present day, is playing a crucial role in the Pledge of Allegiance case accepted for review Oct. 14 by the U.S. Supreme Court. At issue are the words "under God," added to the pledge by a 1954 law that received major support from the Knights of Columbus and from the 110-organization National Fraternal Congress, then headed by the Knights' supreme knight, Luke Hart. The Supreme Court agreed Oct. 14 to hear an appeal of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals' decision that said requiring the pledge in public schools was an unconstitutional violation of the First Amendment's Establishment Clause because of those two words. But Justice Antonin Scalia "took no part in the consideration or decision of these motions and this petition," the court also said Oct. 14. Although no reason was given for Scalia's decision, observers believe it is related to a speech he made in January before a Knights of Columbus-sponsored event in Fredericksburg, Va.

Copyright (c) 2003 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .