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Red Mass


Click on the map above to view details about the Red Masses of which we are aware.

Further information is listed below.

If you would like us to list your diocese's or association's Red Mass,

email the information to info@catholicbar.org.

    • Sat, September 23, 2023
    • 5:00 PM
    • Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, 2215 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas 75201

    2023 RED MASS

    The 2023 Red Mass of the St. Thomas More Society of the Diocese of Dallas will be celebrated on Saturday, September 23 at 5:00 p.m. at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Our homilist will be the Most Reverend Greg Kelly, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Dallas. Following the Red Mass there will be a dinner reception at the JW Marriott with honoree and speaker Paul Clement, Supreme Court advocate. Honoree & Speaker Paul Clement, the former U.S. Solicitor General whose adherence to conscience despite it costing him lucrative jobs--twice--is a modern-day example of Thomas More.

    The Red Mass invokes the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the securing of justice for the coming year. We encourage attendance by all judiciary, attorneys, law faculty, and everyone interested in the rule of law.

    Register here.

    • Sun, September 24, 2023
    • 11:00 AM
    • St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, 403 University Ave, Oxford, MS 38655


    • Tue, September 26, 2023
    • 12:15 PM (EDT)
    • Cathedral of the Assumption 422 S 5th St Louisville, KY 40202

    Pin on Kentucky......my homePlease join the legal and judicial communities for the annual Red Mass, which invokes God’s blessing and guidance on all those in the legal community, including attorneys, judges, paralegals, and clerks. Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre will celebrate this Mass at 12:15 p.m. at the Cathedral of the Assumption, 433 S. Fifth Street, 40202. People of all faiths who serve in the legal profession are invited to attend. No registration required.

    • Thu, September 28, 2023
    • 6:00 PM
    • Saint Patrick Cathedral, 1206 Throckmorton Street, Fort Worth, Texas


    Fort Worth Red Mass 

    September 28, 2023

    The Red Mass Committee of the St. Thomas More Society Fort Worth cordially invites all attorneys, judges, law students, public officials, and their families and staff to attend the Red Mass with the Most Reverend Michael F. Olson, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth. All members of the legal profession are welcome at the Red Mass, regardless of religious affiliation. 

    Thursday, September 28, 2023

    6:00 p.m.

    Saint Patrick Cathedral

    1206 Throckmorton Street

    in downtown Fort Worth, Texas


    Reception and dinner to follow at the Fort Worth Club featuring Notre Dame Law Professor Nicole S. Garnett as the keynote speaker. RSVP is required by September 20th to attend the reception and dinner. 

    • Sat, September 30, 2023
    • 5:00 PM (EDT)
    • Cathedral of the Sacred Heart, 823 Cathedral Pl, Richmond, VA 23220
    • Sun, October 01, 2023
    • 10:00 AM
    • Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis, 4431 Lindell Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108
    • Sun, October 01, 2023
    • 6:00 PM
    • Newman Catholic Student Center, 104 E Jefferson St, Iowa City, IA 52245


    • Mon, October 02, 2023
    • 10:30 AM (BST)
    • Westminster Cathedral

    The Red Mass in Westminster Cathedral will be taking place on Monday 2 October.Please note that, this year, Mass will be starting at the later time of 10.30am. This is to avoid a clash with the installation of the new Lord Chief Justice earlier that morning, so as to permit participation in both events.

    Those wishing to participate in the Judicial Procession must register by Wednesday, September 13.

    Bishop John Sherrington will be the principal celebrant of this year's Red Mass.

    Further details will be available at a later time on the website


     
    • Mon, October 02, 2023
    • 9:30 AM
    • St. Peter Catholic Church, 219 Adams Avenue, Montgomery, AL 36104


    • Mon, October 02, 2023
    • 5:30 PM
    • St. John’s Church, Creighton University, 2500 California Plaza, Omaha, NE 68178

    Virtues and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, a New Court Term Has Started.

    The appellation “Red Mass” refers to the annual Catholic Mass which commences the new Court Term. Its history dates to 13th century Europe when it was celebrated prior to opening the Ecclesiastical Courts, to invoke divine guidance upon those responsible for administering laws and justice. The name of the Mass is derived from the red vestments worn by the priests, to signify the fire of the Holy Spirit, and by the scarlet robes worn then by judges and doctors of Law.

    Red Mass is celebrated in cities across the nation to initiate the opening of the Fall Term of the courts. It provides an opportunity for attending members of the legal community - judges, attorneys, law school professors, law enforcement and governmental agencies - to reflect on the God given power attached to their office. Participants ask God to imbue all members of the legal community with the virtues and gifts of the Holy Spirit - wisdom, understanding, counsel and fortitude - for the right and just administration of their respective office.

    Creighton University School of Law holds the annual Mass every fall semester at St. John’s church on Creighton’s campus.

    This year's Red Mass is scheduled for October 2nd at 5:30 PM CDT.

    • Mon, October 02, 2023
    • 5:30 PM
    • Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral, 1347 N Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46202

    ARCHDIOCESE OF INDIANAPOLIS - GuideStar Profile

    The St. Thomas More Society of Central Indiana

    will be kicking off events on at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 2 at the SS. Peter & Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis. Senior Judge Robert Conrad with the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina will be the featured speaker.

    Register for the dinner following the Red Mass here.

    • Tue, October 03, 2023
    • 5:15 PM
    • St. Mary Cathedral, 219 Seymour Ave, Lansing, MI 48933

    The 38th Annual Red Mass will be Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at St. Mary Cathedral at 5:15pm.  Dinner will immediately follow in the Parish Hall.  This year’s St. Thomas Award will be announced at a later date. Check back here.


    • Tue, October 03, 2023
    • 5:30 PM
    • Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1105 Calhoun St, Fort Wayne, IN 46802

    Home - The Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

    Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

    Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades will celebrate a diocesan Red Mass at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Fort Wayne at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3. The tradition of the Red Mass dates back hundreds of years, to Europe, and is a way to offer prayers for those working in legal professions, in particular for God to grant them the grace to serve society with integrity. All are welcome!

    As announced in Today's Catholic.

    • Thu, October 05, 2023
    • 8:00 AM
    • Our Lady of Consolation, 8303 W Taft St, Merrillville, IN 46410


    • Thu, October 05, 2023
    • 5:15 PM
    • University of Notre Dame Basilica of the Sacred Heart, 101 Basilica Dr, Notre Dame, IN 46556

    Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

    The Very Reverend Mark Gurtner, J.C.D., Vicar General and Chancellor of the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, will celebrate a diocesan annual Red Mass at the Basilica of the Sacred Heart at 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, October 5. The Red Mass is for all members of the legal profession (judges, lawyers, law professors, law students, and government officials). Hosted jointly by Notre Dame Law School and the St. Thomas More Society of South Bend.

    NDLScholarship | Notre Dame Law School Research

    • Fri, October 06, 2023
    • 12:10 PM
    • Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, 2 S. Claiborne St, Mobile, AL 36602


    • Fri, October 06, 2023
    • 6:00 PM
    • ST. THOMAS MORE PARISH, 1822 HOLMES ROAD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64131

    2023 Red Mass

    ST. THOMAS MORE PARISH, 1822 HOLMES ROAD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64131

    Save the Date for the Red Mass at 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm. on Friday, October 6, 2023, at St. Thomas More in Kansas City, Missouri. More information on this event to come!



    • Mon, October 09, 2023
    • 5:30 PM
    • Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, 1207 Columbia St, Lafayette, IN 47901

    Diocese of Lafayette

    The 7th annual Red Mass and Dinner will be held the evening of Monday, October 9, 2023, at the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Lafayette.

    Bishop Timothy L. Doherty will celebrate Mass at 5:30p; a reception, dinner, and presentation by Indiana Supreme Court Justice Derek Molter will follow.

    Register at https://dol-in.org/redmass

    • Wed, October 25, 2023
    • 5:30 PM (PDT)
    • Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angeles, 555 W. Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012


History of the Red Mass


Catholic Lawyer Guilds throughout the world, in conjunction with their bishops, sponsor a Red Mass annually  in order to invoke divine guidance and strength during the coming term of the Court.  It is celebrated in honor of the Holy Spirit as the source of wisdom, understanding, counsel, and fortitude, gifts that shine forth preeminently in the dispensing of justice in the courtroom as well as in the individual lawyer’s office. It also offers prayers for all men and women in the legal profession, judiciary, and public life, asking that they be blessed with wisdom and understanding.  All members of the legal profession are welcome at the Red Mass, regardless of religious affiliation.

In England, the tradition of the Red Mass began around 1310, during the reign of Edward I. The Mass was offered at Westminster Abbey at the opening of the Michaelmas term (September 29th). It received its name from the fact that the celebrant was vested in red and the Lord High justices were robed in scarlet. They were joined by the university professors who displayed red in their academic gowns. Today, the Catholic judges assemble at the Westminster Cathedral for the celebration of the Red Mass, and a short distance away in ancient Westminster Abbey, the non-Catholic jurists attend religious worship.

The first recorded Red Mass was celebrated in Paris in 1245. In France, the inauguration of the judicial year was celebrated annually at the famous Sainte-Chapelle. Although the chapel was desecrated during the French Revolution, it was restored by Louis Phillipe and dedicated exclusively to the use of the “Messe Rouge.” In 1906, the Parliament secularized the chapel, and the French celebration transferred to Saint-Germaine-l’Auzerrois. The Red Mass has also been traditionally identified with the opening of the Sacred Roman Rota, the supreme judicial body of the Catholic Church.

The inauguration of the Red Mass in the United States occurred in New York City on October 6, 1928 at Old St. Andrew’s. Now, many cities celebrate the Mass each year. In Washington, D.C., members of the Supreme Court, the President, and members of Congress often attend the Red Mass at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

CBA2022 Catholic Bar Association Red Mass photos

Thank you to everyone who contributed to making the 2022 Red Mass, co-sponsored by the St. Thomas More Society of the Diocese of Dallas, such a success. Special thanks to Bishop Edward Burns, principal celebrant, Archbishop Joseph Naumann, homilist, and the Choir of St. Thomas Aquinas under the direction of Dr. Michael Conrady, AAGO, Organist and Choirmaster.

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