WASHINGTON — At the annual Red Mass attended by Washington’s Roman Catholic elite, new Washington Archbishop Donald Wuerl told worshipers Oct. 1 that America must honor its moral and religious roots. On the Sunday before the Supreme Court opens its fall session, four Catholic justices — Chief Justice John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia and Clarence Thomas — sat together in the first pew, facing a phalanx of red-frocked bishops and priests, at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.
Justice Samuel Alito, who gives the nine-member court its first-ever Catholic majority, did not attend the Mass, sponsored by the Washington-based John Carroll Society, a network of Catholic professionals. On Sept. 29, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops announced a campaign to influence public opinion before the Supreme Court hears oral arguments in an abortion-related case Nov. 8.
The Red Mass, which dates to the 13th century, is celebrated to invoke God’s blessing on judges and public officials. The Mass’ name derives from the celebrants’ red vestments, representing the tongues of fire that mark the presence of the Holy Spirit.
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