Father Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., to serve as homilist for annual Red Mass

MANCHESTER — The Most Reverend Peter A. Libasci, Bishop of Manchester, invites people of all faith traditions to join him for the celebration of the 2018 Red Mass on Thursday, Oct. 18 at 5:15 p.m. at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Manchester. Father Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., Chaplain, House of Representatives, will serve as guest homilist at the Red Mass this year.

Each year, the Roman Catholic Bishop of Manchester invites women and men associated with the study and administration of justice in New Hampshire to the Red Mass. This annual event is an opportunity for the entire judicial, legal, and legislative communities to gather with those who administer law in the Church for an evening of prayer for strength and guidance in their work. It is a tradition within the Roman Catholic Church that began in the Middle Ages.

Immediately following the Red Mass, the Catholic Lawyers Guild of New Hampshire will host a dinner at Bishop Bradley Hall, located on the lower level of the cathedral. During the dinner, the guild will honor Attorney Michael J. Tierney with the 2018 Saint Thomas More Award. This award is presented by the guild to a lawyer or judge who is a practicing Catholic and who embodies the spirit of Saint Thomas More in his or her courage, dedication, integrity, civility, and compassion toward others. Tickets to the dinner are available for $30 at RedMass-2018.eventbrite.com.

In addition, the guild will hold a Continuing Legal Education session starting at 3:15 p.m. in the Cathedral Library at the corner of Lowell and Union Streets, Manchester. Attorney Michael J. Tierney will present a lecture titled “Religious Liberty and Free Speech in 2018.” This CLE will examine recent cases touching on religious exercise including Masterpiece Bakery, NIFLA, and Janus and how these cases have refined the First Amendment. The program offers 90 minutes of CLE credit. The Guild is offering the CLE at no charge to attendees, but registration is required at RedMass-2018.eventbrite.com.