North Delco News

John Williamson said his Catholic faith defines his life and career.

It is, he told North Delco News, "the most important” thing to him. When people come into his law office in Haverton, they notice the crucifixes, statues and other items that reflect his faith. They often comment on it, Williamson said, and that usually catches him by surprise.

“I just thought it was part of life,” he said.

A strong and enduring belief in God guides him, Williamson said, and millions of people share his view. Among them are Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Donald Trump’s nominee for a vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Williamson admires her and hopes she is approved and seated on the high court.

“I was praying she would be nominated two years ago when they picked (Judge Brett) Kavanaugh,” he said. “I was disappointed Kavanaugh was picked before she was.”

He said her opposition to abortion drew him to support her. He hosts a weekly podcast, Pro-Life America Radio, from 7-8 p.m. Eastern time on Thursdays.

“She’s 100% pro-life and that’s what attracted me,” Williamson said.

When he learned she has seven children, including two adopted from Haiti, that further impressed him.

Barrett joined the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2017. Her faith was scrutinized when nominated for that position, which caused some supporters to say she was unfairly targeted because of her personal religious views.

Barrett is a devout Catholic who belongs to the St. Joseph Catholic Church in South Bend, Indiana. She and her husband, Jesse Barrett, both Notre Dame Law School graduates, and their seven children, who attended a parish school where she volunteers, are regulars at the 10 a.m. Sunday mass.

Amy Barrett was a member of the parish pastoral council. She also serves as a lay leader in the apostolate People of Praise.

Williamson knows what it’s like to be deeply connected to church. He has been a member of the St. Pius X Parish in Broomall for half a century, leads the Respect Life Committee, and is a sponsor of the church’s athletic association.

He said 90% of his legal business comes from people he knows through the church. Williamson, 67, has practiced law for 44 years, being involved in virtually all legal aspects except domestic matters.

He and his wife, Donna Marie, have two sons and a daughter.

“My biggest regret is none of my kids became a lawyer,” Williamson said.

He and his wife operate Johnny’s Run for Life, an outdoor mass and annual 5K run, mile run and mile walk that celebrates life and pays tribute to their son Johnny, who died at the age of 21 in January 2009. It raises money for A Baby’s Breath, a crisis pregnancy center devoted to saving unborn children.

It was held this year on Sunday, Oct. 11, at Cardinal O’Hara High School “where Johnny spent the finest four years of his short life,” according to its website.

Williamson is one of eight children, and one of his brothers is a patent lawyer in Washington, D.C. 

Family and faith have been hallmarks of his life and work. That is why he is such a staunch opponent of abortion. He also credits Barrett’s religious views for guiding her on a proper legal path.

“I think the clear directive is that you should act according to your faith, and since all our laws are based on the 10 Commandments, it is very consistent,” Williamson said.

Williamson follows politics closely and is very public about his beliefs. This year, he has been irritated by continued vandalism against Trump yard signs at his law office.

But he told a WPVI-6 ABC reporter that the vandalism will backfire.

“If you vandalize a Biden sign, it agitates the Biden people, so I would never vandalize a Biden sign,” he said, referring to Catholic presidential candidate, Joe Biden. “But I think when they vandalize my sign it agitates, it gets my people excited, and they’re more likely to come out and vote.”

Williamson has sought public office four times, running as a Republican to represent District 166 in the state House of Representatives in 2004, 2006 and 2010, and for the Haverford Township District 4 seat in 2009. He lost all four elections.

“It brings out the vote when you attack someone’s religious faith,” Williamson said. “I think it agitates Catholics when they see comments made toward them. But I‘m not surprised one little bit it became a topic early on.”

He said Senate Democrats quickly realized it was not a card they could successfully play. 

“Because of the abuse Kavanaugh took, they have really backed off on other topics,” Williamson said. “They saw numbers improved after the Kavanaugh thing. Church-going Catholics are usually conservative.”

He has the same theory about attacks on Barrett and other Catholics who enter public life. Assailing them for their religious views only motivates their supporters to become involved and vote.

He said Catholics have been treated worse than any other religious group in American history. The Ku Klux Klan was stridently anti-Catholic when it was active in his corner of Pennsylvania in the 1920s, Williamson said.

These are battles Catholics have waged before, he said, and they are more than ready to stand up to their critics and those who cast aspersions against them.

Williamson is confident Barrett will be approved by the Senate.

“Absolutely,” he said. “I think she will be a solid, conservative justice. She probably won’t be as right-wing as I would be.”