RIP Michael Novak

By Jack Fowler

Originally posted on February 17, 2017 on The National Review

Our dear friend and the former religion editor of National Review died today, aged 83, after a battle with cancer. There will be a symposium on this happy warrior and apostle of belief and faith and the morality of markets forthcoming on NRO. In the meanwhile, George Weigel has a reflection on the homepage, and the Washington Post has published a worthwhile obituary, as has Catholic University, where Michael ended a long and wonderful career as a professor and theologian. His smile and words kind and smart touched many millions of lives. I love that Michael’s Facebook profile picture was taken at one of the most wonderful moments ever on an NR Cruise: He was sitting, beaming, with his wife Karen (quite ill, she would pass away weeks later), daughter Jana, and son Rich. It was taken at the Basilica of St. John the Divine in Ephesus. Moments before, an aggressive guy selling weird tchotchke barged into the Novak scrum, trying to hawk bogus ancient coins and somewhat perverse statues. I needed to go to Confession after what I yelled. The entrepreneur left them in peace. Which is where Michael now rests, with Karen. Oremus.