God’s law or man’s?
CHARLOTTE — Members of the legal profession from the Diocese of Charlotte gathered for the annual Red Mass at St. Patrick Cathedral Sept. 18 to pray for guidance in their occupations ahead of October’s start of a new Supreme Court term.
The Thursday evening Votive Mass was presided over by Bishop Michael Martin, who wore red vestments symbolizing the fire that filled the Apostles in the Upper Room with God’s Presence.
Around 50 lawyers, judges and other legal professionals attended the celebration that traces its roots to a Mass offered by Pope Innocent IV in 1243 for the Ecclesial Judicial Court.
Bishop Martin reminded congregants that the annual Mass offered an opportunity to reflect on the true example of justice – Jesus.
“We have a world that needs justice and truth,” he said. “Too often we have tried to bring our own truth and find ourselves lacking and insufficient, not realizing enough that we need Christ at the heart of all we do.”
Throughout his message, Bishop Martin asked participants if they were serving the greater good.
“When all that we do is see the world through the lens of the law, maybe sometimes we begin to see everything as a legal debate, everything as an argument to be made,” the bishop cautioned.
He urged them to make certain they are rooted in something greater than the law: God’s truth.
Drawing from the Gospel reading from Luke (Lk 22:24-30), which recounts the Apostles’ dispute of greatness, the bishop expressed the importance of service, encouraging them to put pride aside and seek the Lord’s truth. When that happens, “all of creation rejoices with us,” he said.
He called legal professionals to cultivate a heart of service by serving God foremost. The patron saint of lawyers, St. Thomas More, understood that, the bishop said, noting that More’s refusal to accept the divorce and religious supremacy of King Henry VIII ultimately cost him his life.
“It is a holy thing you do, so do it with holiness by immersing yourself in the grand design of your Creator, who has made this world to be a perfect reflection of beauty and truth and wants that lived out in justice,” Bishop Martin said.
A reception featuring speaker John Bursch, senior counsel and vice president of appellate advocacy for Alliance Defending Freedom, ended the evening. Bursch is an appellate lawyer who has argued 13 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and dozens more before state supreme courts.
He encouraged his peers to uphold their faith, listing actionable steps such as taking time for Mass weekly and making the sign of the cross in public.
“We have to insist, I mean insist, that we need 90 minutes on Saturday evening or Sunday to go to Mass. It’s a non-negotiable,” Bursch said. “God is the most important person in your life…and you are going to be a better lawyer by taking your time to be with Him.”
He urged them to get involved in the pro-life movement and in Title IX related cases, to perpetuate the role and right of the institution of marriage and to stand steadfast against the porn industry and contraceptives.
“You can’t support something that goes against the core teachings of the Church,” said Bursch.
Event coordinator Austin Walsh, a litigator and President of the St. Thomas More Society, said the evening of putting aside arguments and coming together was part of God’s design.
“Both the messages from John and the bishop were that being a Catholic lawyer means you can’t shy away from tough conversation,” Walsh said. “Living your faith is not just on Sunday, but it’s at your workplace, too, and you are called to be charitable and loving.”
As he said, “we as lawyers are not often on the same side, but we come together each year with the common purpose of remembering the faith and integrity of our patron, St. Thomas More, and to orient our work towards giving the glory to God.”
— Lisa M. Geraci. Photos by Troy C. Hull
