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2022 Red Mass

Dear Members of the Thomas More Lawyers' Guild of Toronto,

On behalf of the Board of Directors of the Guild, we are honoured to invite you to the 2022 Red Mass, to be held at St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica. The Red Mass marks the opening of the Courts and brings together members of the Ontario Judiciary, lawyers and those associated with the administration of justice. A reception and dinner will follow at the University Club.

We are delighted to welcome as our guest of honour and speaker, His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins. In a year which marks many significant milestones in his ministry, including the 10th anniversary of Archbishop Collins becoming a Cardinal, the 15th anniversary of his installation as Archbishop of Toronto and his 75th birthday, the evening will be a wonderful celebration. It is an opportunity to express our gratitude for Cardinal Collins' leadership and his commitment to the Church and to the people of God. And also our heartfelt thanks for his support and fraternity with the Thomas More Lawyers' Guild. We hope you will join us for the Red Mass and Dinner.

When: Thursday October 13, 2022 commencing at 5:00pm
Where: St. Michael's Cathedral Basilica, 65 Bond Street, Toronto
~ Celebrant, His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins

Reception and Dinner to follow, commencing at 6:30pm
Where: University Club, 380 University Avenue, Toronto
~ Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker, His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Collins

Dinner tickets are limited to 100 people and may be purchased here

Red Mass

HIS EMINENCE THOMAS CARDINAL COLLINS

Cardinal Thomas Christopher Collins was born and raised in Guelph, Ontario, where his father was the circulation manager of the Guelph Mercury and his mother was a legal secretary. He is the only son and the youngest of three siblings. His childhood home was situated behind The Church of Our Lady, where he attended and served morning Mass.

Cardinal Collins considered being a teacher or a lawyer but was profoundly inspired by his Grade 11 English teacher, Father Newstead, at Bishop Macdonell Catholic High School, who knowing him, suggested that he should consider the priesthood. In 1969 he obtained a Bachelor of Arts (English) from St. Jerome College in Waterloo. In 1973 he obtained two degrees, a M.A. (English) from the University of Western Ontario and a Bachelor of Theology from St. Peter's Seminary in London, Ontario. That same year he was ordained to the priesthood on May 5, 1973 in the Cathedral of Christ the King, Hamilton, by Most Reverend Paul Reding.

While studying in Rome, specializing in sacred scripture and the Book of Revelation, he received his Licentiate in Sacred Scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in 1978 and a Doctorate in Theology from the Gregorian University in 1986.

After holding various academic appointments, in 1997 he was appointed as Bishop of Saint Paul, Alberta. Two years later, he was named the Archbishop of Edmonton. In 2001, while in Edmonton he was named Apostolic Administrator of Saint Paul. In December 2006, he was appointed as the Archbishop of Toronto, and installed in January 2007.

In 2007 Cardinal Collins became a ex-officio member of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops Permanent Council, the Chancellor of the University of St. Michael's College and the Pontifical Institute of Mediaeval Studies, in Toronto. He is the Chair of the Board of Governors of St. Augustine's Seminary, and the Chair of the Board of Directors of Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary, Catholic Charities and Catholic Cemeteries and is a Trustee of ShareLife's Advisory Board. In 2008, Cardinal Collins was elected President of the Assembly of Catholic Bishop of Ontario.

During his time thus far in Toronto, Cardinal Collins has served the global church through his membership with the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, Congregation for Catholic Education and Commission of Cardinals for oversight of the Institute for the Works of Religion (IOR). He has participated in the Synod on the Eucharist, and the Synod on the Middle East, served as an Apostolic Visitor in Ireland and also as the Delegate of the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith for Anglicanorum Coetibus.

On January 6, 2012, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI announced the appointment of Cardinal Collins to the College of Cardinals. He was elevated to the College of Cardinals as Cardinal Priest of San Patrizio on February 18, 2012.

THE HISTORY OF THE RED MASS

The Thomas More Lawyers' Guild of Toronto traces its history back to the 13th century with the initiation of the Red Mass. In the Cathedral of Paris in 1245, a Mass was held to invoke the guidance of the Holy Spirit on the judges of the Ecclesiastical Courts. It is believed the first liturgy was celebrated in honour of St. Ives of Brittany, the patron saint of lawyers. The practice of the Red Mass spread to England in 1310 during the reign of King Edward I. The entire Bench and Bar attended this special Eucharist at the beginning of the spring term of Court. The Name "Red Mass" became a tradition because of the red robes worn by the judges and the red vestments worn by the priests. The Red Mass has been held annually in Westminster Cathedral, London, since 1904. The Red Mass was first held in Toronto in 1925. Its sponsorship was assumed by the Guild of Our Lady of Good Counsel in 1931 and by The Thomas More Lawyers' Guild of Toronto since 1968. One of the primary objectives of the Thomas More Lawyers' Guild of Toronto is the sponsorship of the Red Mass