CHARLOTTE — Catholic attorneys, judges and other members of the legal profession took time Thursday evening to pray and contemplate the role their faith in Christ plays in their daily work at the annual Red Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral.
The tradition of the Red Mass has roots in Europe, where it was started by Pope Innocent IV in 1243 for the Ecclesial Judicial Court. The tradition spread over the centuries and now Red Masses are celebrated in many nations to mark the beginning of the judicial year. In the U.S., the Red Mass is usually celebrated in the fall to coincide with the beginning of a new Supreme Court session.
The liturgy takes its title from the fact that celebrants wear red vestments because it is a votive Mass of the Holy Spirit. The tradition of the Red Mass in Charlotte was revived in 2024, and this was the 19th held in the diocese.
Bishop Michael Martin offered a homily that asked attendees to focus on their faith in Christ as they go through the often challenging tasks of their daily work.
“I’m so grateful that you place your professional lives on the altar with Jesus as an offering to God, who has given you gifts to enable you to do the wonderful work you do,” Bishop Maritn said. “He trusts you with the law, with justice on this Earth, and He gives you His Spirit.”
The Gospel reading for the Mass from Matthew featured Christ speaking “woe” on the Pharisees for their strict interpretation of minor rules without focusing on larger issues of justice and mercy. Bishop Martin asked the congregation to focus on both of the modern interpretations of the word “woe.”
First, he said, “woe” means negativity that can come to those who do their work without focusing on God’s Word. But he also asked the congregation to focus on “whoa,” which means a stopping point – a chance to focus on God’s presence in all of our daily lives, whether we work in the law or in other professions.
“If there is one thing I would hope tonight’s celebration would encourage, it would be the courage of all of you in your professional lives to realize that in that breath, in that space between stimulus and response, is where you slow things down just enough to realize the presence of the Holy Spirit,” he said.
He emphasized that God does not send His Spirit to the faithful at baptism and confirmation so it can impact only their personal lives, but also their careers.
“His Spirit wants to impact your approach to your profession…in understanding more deeply the nuance that is so much a part of trying to define justice in the world,” he said.
The Mass featured beautiful music offered by organist Gianfranco DeLuca and Will Esser as cantor, including a version of Cesar Franck’s “Panis Angelicus” as the Communion hymn. The evening ended with an inspiring version of the hymn “O Beyond All Praising,” with a second verse echoing the evening’s theme of serving justice: “Then hear, O gracious Savior, accept the love we bring, that we know your favor may serve you as our king.”
Austin Walsh, president of the St. Thomas More Society, said the annual Mass gives Catholic legal professionals the chance to remember the faith and integrity of the saint, the patron of lawyers, and to “orient their work towards giving glory to God.”
“The Red Mass is a moving reminder that the practice of law is ultimate in service of well-ordered justice,” he said, “and that we cannot compromise our faith and formation to win a point.”
After the liturgy, attendees took time to talk with Bishop Martin and each other.
“It’s an opportunity to gather as a legal community and to see people we might sometimes see in court and professionally,” said Matthew Hoefling, a member of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Charlotte who attended with several family members who are also attorneys. “It’s a chance for us to pray together and be together.”
— Christina Lee Knauss
