Louisiana judges, dressed in their robes, gathered at St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson
Square this morning for the 67th annual Red Mass ceremony, traditionally held the first Monday
in October. Judges, lawyers and officials of all faiths were invited to attend the Mass which is
offered for guidance in the administration of justice in the year ahead.
According to Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, “Judges
from across the state are in New Orleans for the annual Fall Conference October 6 - 8, which is
sponsored by the Louisiana Judicial College. In addition to attending the continuing legal
education sessions and business meetings of the conference, state judges can also participate in
this solemn ceremony that is deeply rooted in tradition.”
The Red Mass is sponsored by the Catholic Bishops of the State of Louisiana and the
Saint Thomas More Catholic Lawyers’ Association. The Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond,
Archbishop of New Orleans was the Celebrant of today’s ceremony and the Homilist was Abbott
Justin Brown, OSB, of St. Joseph Abbey in Covington, Louisiana.
The celebration of Red Mass goes back many centuries in Rome, Paris, and London. Stateside, the Red Mass has been celebrated annually in California, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Georgia, and the District of Columbia. In Louisiana, the first Red Mass was offered in St. Louis Cathedral on October 5, 1953.