The Red Mass celebrated annually at the Corpus Christi Cathedral has been set for Thursday, Oct. 2, at 6 p.m. This year's keynote speaker is Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center in Ann Arbor Michigan. Thompson's address will immediately follow the Mass.
The Red Mass tradition is an annual celebration to call upon God, the supreme lawgiver, for his guidance and blessings on the administration of justice as well as those whose duty it is to teach, judge and resolve legal matters. Local judges, elected officials, lawyers and members of the public are asked to attend.
Thompson gained national prominence, as a prosecuting attorney, for his uncompromising stand against Jack Kevorkian. He has filed numerous federal lawsuits challenging the HHS Mandate and the Thomas More Law Center has also submitted an amicus brief to the Supreme Court supporting Hobby Lobby and Conestoga's position that the HHS Mandate represents a violation of religious liberty.
The public is invited to join in this community-wide celebration Bishop Michael Mulvey will preside and concelebrate the Mass with Priests of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
The Red Mass has been celebrated in Europe since 1245 and in the United States since 1928. It received the name "Red Mass" from the bright red vestments worn by the celebrants and the brilliant scarlet robes worn by the Lord High Justices in England. Today it is observed in most large cities throughout the country, typically during the fall, the traditional time for the opening of a new judicial session.