CONTACT PERSON: ROBERT GUNN
COMMUNITY RELATIONS DEPARTMENT
(504) 310-2592
OCTOBER 2, 2017 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
Louisiana judges, dressed in their robes, gathered at St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square this morning for the 65th annual Red Mass ceremony, traditionally held the first Monday in October. Judges, lawyers and officials of all faiths were invited to attend the Mass which is offered for guidance in the administration of justice in the year ahead.
According to Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, “Judges from across the state are in New Orleans for the annual Fall Conference October 1 - 3, 2017, which is sponsored by the Louisiana Judicial College. In addition to attending the continuing law education sessions and business meetings of the conference, state judges can also participate in this solemn ceremony that is deeply rooted in tradition.”
The Red Mass is sponsored by the Catholic Bishops of the State of Louisiana and the Saint Thomas More Catholic Lawyers Association. The Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond, Archbishop of New Orleans was the Celebrant of today’s ceremony. The celebration of Red Mass goes back many centuries in Rome, Paris, and London. Stateside the Red Mass has been celebrated annually in California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia, and the District of Columbia. In Louisiana the first Red Mass was offered in St. Louis Cathedral on October 5, 1953.
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