40th Annual Red Mass to be Celebrated March 4 in Tallahassee, FL

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Catholic Mass participants will pray for divine inspiration and guidance for those serving in the executive, legislative and judicial branches of government, and for members of the legal profession in Florida.

Who: Catholic bishops of Florida, members of the cabinet and executive branch, legislators, judges, attorneys, state agency officials, and members of the community. Congregants are Catholic and non-Catholic.

Lectors / Readers
The Honorable MaryLynn Magar, Florida State Representative, District 82, Hobe Sound
The Honorable Carlos Trujillo, Florida State Representative, District 105, Doral

Homilist
Most Reverend Peter Baldacchino, Auxiliary Bishop, Archdiocese of Miami

Born in Malta, Bishop Baldacchino earned a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Divinity from Seton Hall University, NJ and was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of Newark in 1996. From 1996 to 1999, then Father Baldacchino served at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Ridgewood, N.J. In 1999, he was assigned to Our Lady of Divine Providence Mission in the Turks & Caicos Islands. Pope Francis named Bishop Baldacchino Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami, February 20, 2014. He was ordained to the episcopacy on March 19, 2014.

Bishops of Florida / Mass Celebrants Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski of Miami; Bishop Robert N. Lynch of St. Petersburg; Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of Palm Beach; Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice; Bishop John G. Noonan of Orlando; Bishop Felipe J. Estévez of St. Augustine; Bishop Gregory L. Parkes of Pensacola-Tallahassee; and Auxiliary Bishop Peter Baldacchino of Miami.

When: Wednesday, March 4, 2015 at 6:00 p.m. A reception immediately follows.

Where: Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, 900 W. Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, Florida

Background: The Red Mass of the Holy Spirit, a nearly 800 year old tradition, originated in France in the 13th century as a service in which God was called upon to guide lawyers and judges in their pursuit of justice. The tradition soon spread to England where, during the reign of King Edward I, the entire Bench and Bar would mark the opening of each term of court by attending a Mass together.

In those services, the priests, as well as the judges of the High Court, wore red robes to signify their willingness to defend the truth inspired by the Holy Spirit, even at the cost of shedding one's blood. Thus, the celebration became popularly known as the "Red Mass."

Red Masses are celebrated throughout Florida and the United States at various times during the year. In Tallahassee, the Red Mass is scheduled annually during Catholic Days at the Capitol.