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Tenth Red Mass Oct. 19 At St. Mary’s Cathedral
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October 19, 2021Amarillo—Bishop Patrick J. Zurek will be the principal celebrant and homilist at the tenth Red Mass Tuesday, Oct. 19 at 6:30pm at St. Mary’s Cathedral, 1200 South Washington.
Following Mass, the Honorable Eva M. Guzman, former member of the Texas Supreme Court, will be the keynote speaker.
A reception with heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails will follow in the Monsignor Smyer Reception Room. Judges, lawyers, public officials, law faculty members and the community are invited to the Mass and reception.
Justice Guzman is a native of Houston’s East End, the middle of seven children born to hard-working immigrants.
“My family taught me the importance of Faith and family and the value of freedom,” she said. “Patriotic to the core, they cherished their American citizenship and the opportunity to prosper here. They pushed their children to excel in school. Through the power of their example, I learned to work hard and dream big.”
Justice Guzman earned a law degree from South Texas College of Law and a Masters in Law Degree from Duke University School of Law. She managed a successful law practice before becoming a judge in 1999. Over the next 22 years Justice Guzman served at three levels of the Texas judiciary, more than half of that time as a justice on the Supreme Court of Texas. She was inducted into the Texas Leadership Hall of Fame in 2015 and was recognized for 10 years of leadership as chair of the Children’s Commission by Texas CASA in 2020.
The history of the Red Mass dates back to 13th century England during the reign of King Edward I, according to Brad Howard, a parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle Church and shareholder in the law firm of Brown and Fortunato in Amarillo.
“The Mass was celebrated at Westminster Abbey and served as the official opening of the judicial year,” he said. “It received its name from the fact that the celebrants wore red vestments, and the Lord High Justices were robed in brilliant scarlet.
“The Red Mass was first celebrated in the United States in 1928 and is now observed in many cities throughout our country. The Red Mass promotes the unity of the judiciary and the legal profession.”
The Red Mass is celebrated in honor of the Holy Spirit as the source of wisdom, understanding, counsel and fortitude. The Mass is open to anyone with a concern for justice, according to Howard.
Recommended dress is judicial robes or business attire with red accents. Any member of the judiciary wishing to participate in the opening procession should be present at 6:20pm. For additional information about the Red Mass, please contact Brad Howard at 806-345-6310.
