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May 13, 2008

DAY TWO | 03.12.08

Red Mass ends the day

MARY ST. PIERRE | FLORIDA CATHOLIC STAFF

Bishops of Florida, including from left, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of Palm Beach, Bishop Robert N. Lynch of St. Petersburg and Archbishop John C. Favalora of Miami, process into the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee for the 33rd annual Red Mass for legislators and those in the legal profession.

Bishops of Florida, including from left, Bishop Frank J. Dewane of Venice, Bishop Gerald M. Barbarito of Palm Beach, Bishop Robert N. Lynch of St. Petersburg and Archbishop John C. Favalora of Miami, process into the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Tallahassee for the 33rd annual Red Mass for legislators and those in the legal profession.
CHRISTOPHER GUNTY | FC

TALLAHASSEE | The second day ended with the celebration of the 33rd Red Mass at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More. It brought together the archbishop and bishops as well as several priests, deacons, legislators, parents, children, students, the “sea of red” Catholic Days at the Capitol participants and the combined Catholic choirs of Tallahassee. The church, on a Wednesday evening at 6 p.m. was full.

Bishop John G. Noonan served as homilist and provided a historical perspective of Catholics from their first days in Florida to present. He reminded the politicians in attendance that they are called to dedicate themselves with generosity and courage, illuminated by faith. You are to work, Bishop Noonan said, for justice and the common good, not in a despairing effort to do the impossible, but with the enthusiasm of a faith, which knows that God’s love is bringing justice to the living and the dead of all the land.

At the end of the Red Mass as the archbishop and other celebrants processed out, the gold cross held high by the altar server was the most visible image to everyone in the packed church. The woman next to me attending with her two small sons, tapped my arm and pointed to it. It struck me immediately as reflecting in the halo around the head of Jesus were the colors of the stained glass windows and surprisingly, the predominant color that stood out was red. Are we the only two seeing this, I thought to myself? I turned to the woman and before I could get the words out she said – God is with us.

Amen to the second day of Catholic Days at the Capitol.

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