A Red Mass is a Mass
celebrated annually in the Catholic Church for judges, attorneys, law
school professors, students and government officials. The Mass requests
guidance from the Holy Spirit for all who seek justice, and offers the
opportunity to reflect on what Catholics believe is the God-given power
and responsibility of all in the legal profession.
Originating in Europe during the high
Middle Ages, the Red Mass is named for the red vestments traditionally
worn in symbolism of the tongues of fire that descended on the
Apostles. Additionally, Judges of the High Court of England and all
doctors of law wore red robes or academic hoods.
The first recorded Red Mass was
celebrated in the Cathedral of Paris in 1245. From there, it spread to
most European countries. Around 1310, during the reign of Edward II,
the tradition began in England. It was attended at the opening of each
term of Court by all members of the bench and bar. The tradition was
introduced into the United States in 1928 at the Church of St. Andrew,
New York City, near the courthouses of Foley Square, celebrated by
Patrick Cardinal Haves, who strongly advocated the legal community’s
part in evangelization.
“I called a group of lawyers together, and I spoke to Judge Kim
Hornack and Narda Beas-Nordell, a prosecutor, and they thought having a
Red Mass was a good idea,” said Yengich.
“After the Mass, Bishop Wester talked to me
about starting a St. Thomas More Society,” said Yengich.
St. Thomas More was born the
son of a judge in London in 1478. Influenced by his father, he became a
lawyer and served in King Henry VIII’s court.
“So this year we have put together a group
of ecumenical lawyers who are interested in justice from a moral,
ethical and religious perspective. With the bishop’s blessing, we have
formed a St. Thomas More Society for lawyers, judges and police
officers, and also people who work in the criminal justice system such
as clerks, secretaries, and administrative assistants. We have
incorporated the St. Thomas More Society, which was approved by the
diocese. We have been meetings and our primary goal is simply to have
the Red Mass every year and also to have a lecture series.
“We are going to have Catholic, Buddhist, Jewish, and Mormon jurists
or lawyers form a panel and have a discussion for which people can get
continuing legal education credits. We will do this annually in
conjunction with the Red Mass.
“There have been a lot of people involved in planning
these events,” said Yengich. “We have had a lot of good response from
prosecutors, judges, court staff, and from people who are staff for
lawyers. At the bishop’s request, although this is a Catholic Mass, the
Mass and the St. Thomas More Society are open to everyone, even those
without faith.
“The Red Mass is a way to put a religious and moral face on what we as
lawyers and judges do,” said Yengich. “It is a way to maybe make us all
think a little bit deeper about the issues we confront in the system
of justice, and hopefully make us better at what we do and more
receptive to the problems that each of us face in the system of justice
whether we work in it or whether we are people that find ourselves
immersed in it.”
By Christine Young
Intermountain Catholic
Those in the criminal justice system come together to support one another through prayer