Justice Clarence Thomas advises Sean Duffy after swearing in: ‘Go to daily Mass and pray’

WASHINGTON, D.C. (LifeSiteNews) — Catholic Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, after swearing in fellow Catholic Sean Duffy as the new U.S. transportation secretary, offered him this advice: “Go to daily Mass and pray this prayer every day, ‘Lord, give me the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to do it.” 

Duffy, a Republican who previously served as a U.S. House representative from Wisconsin and later became a Fox News personality, was accompanied by his wife, Rachel Campos Duffy, and their nine children.     

His wife described Tuesday’s ceremony on Capitol Hill:    

Yesterday, VP Vance was out of town so Justice Clarence Thomas performed Sean’s official swearing. He spent so much time with our family in his chamber, telling our kids about his childhood & the series of miracles in his life that led to becoming a Supreme Court judge. He gave Sean invaluable advice: Go to daily Mass & pray this prayer everyday ‘Lord, give me the wisdom to know what to do & the courage to do it’. 

Yesterday, VP Vance was out of town so Justice Clarence Thomas performed Sean’s official swearing. He spent so much time with our family in his chamber, telling our kids about his childhood & the series of miracles in his life that led to becoming a Supreme Court judge. He gave… pic.twitter.com/npcCUzjhPH

— Rachel Campos-Duffy (@RCamposDuffy) January 30, 2025

Since returning to Washington, D.C., earlier this month, the acclaimed pro-life advocate and his family have not been shy about displaying their Catholic faith and their reliance on prayer. 

Prior to his Senate confirmation hearing following his selection as transportation secretary by then President-elect Donald Trump, Duffy bowed his head and led his wife and children in the praying of the Hail Mary.    

President Trump’s pick for Transportation Secretary @SeanDuffyWI leads his family of nine in prayer before his confirmation hearing. pic.twitter.com/x1F5NHh2Zf

— LifeSiteNews (@LifeSite) January 16, 2025

In 2019, Duffy stepped back from politics to focus on his growing family. A few months later, the Duffy family welcomed their ninth child, a little girl born with a heart defect and Down syndrome.    

At the time, the family described their little girl as the “sweetest, most perfect angel we’ve ever seen.”   

Throughout their lives, both Duffy and his wife, who was also a Fox News personality, have faced criticism for their large family and Catholic values.  

However, both have held fast to their values, finding strength through their relationship with God. In 2019, Rachel shared that their Catholic faith has “kept our marriage strong and given us a sense of direction and purpose.”   

“We pray together; we go to Mass together,” she explained. “It’s not always perfect by any stretch, but I think we all have a general direction and sense of what’s important in life. And both Sean and I come from families where family is really important.”