Four honored at annual Red Mass

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press
 
With violence abroad and nearby, with passion and power threatening reason and law, it is good to pray, listen to God and honor those who have served the cause of justice, Red Mass attendees were told.
Msgr. Richard F. Reidy, diocesan vicar general and moderator of the curia, was preaching at the 65th annual Red Mass of the St. Thomas More Society of Worcester County, held Sunday at St. Paul Cathedral. Bishop McManus presented the Society’s awards to the honorees. 
The Society, founded on qualities of this former chancellor of England, sponsors the Mass to honor judges, lawyers and others working in the legal field. The Mass is named for the color of vestments worn by celebrants, and by judges attending the King’s bench in Westminster, England.
In his homily, Msgr. Reidy highlighted qualities of St. Thomas More and made connections with the day’s Scripture readings and world events. 
He spoke of acts of violence in the Middle East and Maine, of Russia, China and American culture and politics, of passion and power threatening reason and law as the means to advance one’s interests and address one’s grievances. 
That is not good for the cause of freedom, the ordering of a peaceful society and the respect of human rights, he said. So, it is good to honor those who have embodied ideals essential for a just society, respecting the rights of those in a pluralistic culture and also providing peace and order necessary for the common good.
Speaking of the day’s Scriptures, Msgr. Reidy said a scholar of the law elicited from Jesus a summary of the commandments: love of God and neighbor (Mt 22:34-40). The first reading spoke of justice – the reason behind the law – in treatment of others (Ex 22:20-26). Psalm 18 reminds us from whom we get strength to fulfill the law: “I love you, Lord, my strength.”
Looking to the example of St. Thomas More, Msgr. Reidy said this lawyer, judge and high government official was noted for his intellect, integrity, fairness and friendship. In treacherous times he held to his principles and bore no evil toward those who brought evil to him. He lost power, prestige, home, liberty and eventually his life, but not his honor or peace. Before his execution he wrote a prayer asking God to have mercy on those who would harm him, that they all be saved, and live and love together forever with God and the saints.
Nearly 500 years later the Law Society of Great Britain voted St. Thomas More as Britain’s lawyer of the millennium, Msgr. Reidy said.
He expressed hope that, like St. Thomas More, our faith in God will bring us courage to meet opponents with respect, passion with patience, confusion with clarity, lies with truth, and unjust aggression with righteous resolve, so reason and rule of law may govern debates, redress of grievances and, “regrettably, as a last resort, even the conduct of war.”
This year’s Red Mass awardees and awards are: Attorney Paul E. Mullan III, first assistant clerk magistrate, Worcester Superior Court, and a communicant at St. Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer, Distinguished Judicial Officer Award; Attorney John P. Donohue, a partner in the Worcester law firm Fuller, Rosenberg, Palmer & Beliveau, and member of St. John, Guardian of Our Lady Parish in Clinton, the Msgr. F. Stephen Pedone Distinguished Attorney Award; Attorney Rhonda L. Bachrach, a partner at Bachrach & Bachrach, and a member of Faith Church in Auburn, the Bishop Bernard J. Flanagan Ecumenical Award; and, posthumously, Timothy J. Connolly, communications director, Worcester District Attorney’s Office, and a former member of St. George Parish in Worcester, Distinguished Catholic Layperson Award. His wife, Donna Connolly, accepted the award.
 
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Biographies of those honored