On Thursday, Oct. 13, at 11 a.m., Atlanta’s judges, attorneys and legal professionals of all faiths will join other public officials at The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Jesus downtown (353 Peachtree Street) to celebrate a traditional “Red Mass” to mark the beginning of a new judicial year and to seek blessings for the judicial system and pray for peace and justice. Sponsored by Atlanta’s St. Thomas More Society, an association of Catholic lawyers (www.stm-atlanta.org), the service is an ancient one with roots going back to the Middle Ages. Weather permitting, the judges will assemble outside the historic church at 10:55 a.m. in their judicial robes and process into the sanctuary together. The service will be followed by an awards luncheon at the Capital City Club (7 John Portman Blvd.) honoring three recipients for actions that have demonstrated a commitment to justice and humanity, especially in difficult circumstances. The 2016 St. Thomas More Society Honorees are:
· Fulton County Superior Court Judge Shawn Ellen LaGrua for her innovative work to help convicted offenders transform their lives. Judge LaGrua is the founder of the “My Life Matters” program to rehabilitate offenders age 16-29, and also serves as the Vice Chair of the Georgia Commission on Family Violence. She will receive the St. Thomas More Award.
· The late Jeffrey O. Bramlett, former partner at the Atlanta law firm of Bondurant, Mixson & Elmore and former president of the Atlanta Bar Association and the State Bar of Georgia, for his successful work to reform the State of Georgia’s foster care system. Bramlett, who passed away this summer, also will be honored with the St. Thomas More Award, which will be accepted by his widow, Nancy Bramlett.
· The Dallas, Texas Police Department, under the leadership of former Chief David O Brown, in recognition of their efforts to promote dialogue and improve relations between law enforcement and members of minority communities both before and after the tragic killings of Dallas police officers earlier this year. This award is only the second non-lawyer award given by Atlanta’s St. Thomas More Society, and is the St. Francis of Assisi Award.
Atlanta’s Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory, S.L.D., will celebrate the Red Mass with assistance from clergy throughout the Archdiocese of Atlanta. The service also will include readings by Rabbi Scott E. Colbert, Senior Rabbi at Temple Emanu-El in Atlanta and the Reverend Rebekah Close LeMon, Executive Pastor of Midtown’s First Presbyterian Church. The clergy will be robed in red vestments, traditionally signifying the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon God’s people, while the judges will wear their robes and red stoles. The one-hour service is open to people of all faiths.
“Each year our Red Mass provides an opportunity for us to offer prayerful recognition of the generous legal servants in our community,” said Archbishop Gregory, who has celebrated the Red Mass every year in Atlanta since his appointment as Archbishop. The Archbishop was recently appointed as chair of a new national task force of U.S. bishops to deal with racial issues that have emerged following summertime shootings that killed both police officers and citizens. “I am honored to lead this task force which will assist my brother bishops, individually and as a group, to accompany suffering communities on the path toward peace and reconciliation," he said.
“The Saint Thomas More Society has the unique privilege of bringing together clergy, judges, attorneys and public officials of many faiths in prayer and celebration for our legal community and the higher virtues it should serve,” said Jeff Adams, president of the organization. “We are honored to recognize our three award recipients, all of whom have devoted themselves to improving the lives of others and tirelessly serving their communities.”
The awards luncheon will take place immediately following the service at 12:15 p.m. at the Capital City Club (7 John Portman Blvd.). The luncheon is free for St. Thomas More Society members who have paid their 2016 dues, and $40 for all others. Seating is limited and attendees must RSVP in advance at www.stm-atlanta.org.
About the Red Mass
The first recorded Red Mass was celebrated in Paris in 1245. From there, it spread throughout Europe. During the 1300’s the tradition began in England for all members of the Bench and Bar to attend as the opening of each term of court. The name “Red Mass” refers to the scarlet robes of the judges who attended the service centuries ago, as well as the color of the vestments worn by the clergy. Today in the U.S., the Red Mass is celebrated annually in a number of cities, including Washington, D.C., where Supreme Court Justices, members of Congress, diplomats, Cabinet members and often, the president, attend, all in their capacity as private individuals. Since 1993, Atlanta’s St. Thomas More Society has embraced this tradition by sponsoring the Red Mass at Sacred Heart Church downtown, and the service has become a regular event on Atlanta’s legal calendar.
About the St. Thomas More Society, Inc., Atlanta
The St. Thomas More Society of Atlanta is a non-profit organization formed in 1993 by a group of Catholic lawyers in Atlanta, seeking to inspire those intellectual, spiritual and moral qualities that were exemplified in the life of its patron saint. Membership includes attorneys from throughout the metro area. In addition to the Red Mass, the organization gathers informally to discuss issues of law, ethics, morality and other subjects. The society fosters the spiritual, intellectual and professional growth of its members, while providing service to the Roman Catholic Church of Georgia. www.stm-atlanta.org
