Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild of Toronto

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100th Anniversary of the Red Mass

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  • History of Red Mass
  • Red Mass Event
  • Celebrant & Keynote Speaker
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Thomas More Lawyers’ Guilds of Toronto sponsor a Red Mass annually in order to invoke divine guidance and strength during the coming term of the Court.

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

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The 100th Anniversary of the Red Mass (Accredited for 1 LSO Professional Hour)

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Mass: St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica @ 5:00 pm

Reception & Dinner: The Omni King Edward Hotel @ 6:30pm

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Celebrant: Archbishop Francis Leo

Archbishop Leo was named as the Archbishop of Toronto on Saturday, February 11, 2023 by Pope Francis. He was installed as Archbishop on Saturday, March 25, 2023.

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Keynote Speaker: Chief Justice Michael H. Tulloch

The Honourable Michael H. Tulloch was appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice for Ontario in 2003. He was elevated to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2012. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Chief Justice Tulloch had served as an assistant Crown Attorney in Peel and Toronto from 1991 to 1995 before entering private practice, where he specialized in criminal law.

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“I think that if any good thing shall go forward, something must be adventured.”

100th Anniversary of the Red Mass

Wednesday, October 9, 2024

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Archbishop Francis Leo

“Do whatever he tells you”

Archbishop Francis Leo was born in Montreal in 1971 to Italian immigrant parents Francesco Leo and Rosa Valente, Archbishop Leo attended Eugenio Pacelli Elementary School, John F. Kennedy High School and CEGEP Vanier. He then entered the Grand Séminaire de Montréal in 1990 and was ordained a priest for service to the Archdiocese of Montreal on 14 December 1996. He served in different parish assignments in Montréal (assistant pastor at Our Lady of Consolata, parochial administrator of Saint-Joseph-de-RDP, and pastor of Saint-Raymond-de-Peñafort) until 2006 when he accepted the invitation to enroll in the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy in Rome and subsequently entered the Diplomatic Service of the Holy See (2006-2012), serving in different Apostolic Nunciatures across the globe. On 9 January 2012, Pope Benedict XVI appointed him Chaplain of His Holiness, bestowing the title of Monsignor.

Upon his return to Canada, he joined the formation team of the Grand Séminaire de Montréal, teaching theology and philosophy while providing spiritual direction, formation and accompaniment to the candidates for the priesthood. In the fall of 2015 he was appointed General Secretary of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB), a mandate which came to an end in the fall of 2021. As of February 1st 2022, Archbishop Leo was named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese of Montreal.

In addition to his extensive graduate studies in Canon Law (Pontifical Lateran University), Diplomacy and International Law, Archishop Leo holds a Doctorate in Systematic Theology (University of Dayton ⁄ IMRI) with a specialization in Mariology, a Licentiate in Philosophy (Pontifical Lateran University), a Diploma in Classical Studies (Université de Montréal) and a Graduate Certificate in Spiritual Direction (Aquinas Institute of Theology). He worked as a Judge for the Canadian Appeal Tribunal and has taught theology, spirituality and philosophy at Montreal, Canberra (Australia), Dayton (USA) and Ottawa, among other places. He speaks English, French, Italian and Spanish. Archbishop Leo is President and founding member of the Canadian Mariological Society, Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem as well as a member of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Domenic (Third Order Dominican).

Archbishop Leo was appointed by the Holy Father Titular Bishop of Tamada and Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal on July 16, 2022, and was ordained to the Episcopacy on September 12, 2022. Archbishop Leo was named as the Archbishop of Toronto on Saturday, February 11, 2023 by Pope Francis. He was installed as Archbishop on Saturday, March 25, 2023

Chief Justice Michael H. Tulloch

Chief Justice Michael H. Tulloch

“One of the greatest problems of our time is that many are schooled but few are educated.”

Chief Justice Michael H. Tulloch The Honourable Michael H. Tulloch was appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice for Ontario in 2003. He was elevated to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2012. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Chief Justice Tulloch had served as an assistant Crown Attorney in Peel and Toronto from 1991 to 1995 before entering private practice, where he specialized in criminal law.

In 2016, Chief Justice Tulloch was appointed by the Ontario government to conduct important reviews which resulted in two extensive reports: the Report of the Independent Police Oversight Review (2017) and the Report of the Independent Street Checks Review (2018). He served on the Government Response Team for the Commission on Systemic Racism while working as a Crown Attorney. He was chair of a review panel on Osgoode Hall Law School’s admissions policy in 2006.

Chief Justice Tulloch served as a member of the Ontario Superior Court Education Committee, the National Judicial Institute, and the Commissioner’s Judicial Advisory Committee on International Engagement. He was a Distinguished Fellow at the Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy at the University of Toronto and a Distinguished Research Fellow in the Centre of Law and Policy at Ryerson University (now Toronto Metropolitan University). He was a founding member and a patron of the Second Chance Scholarship Foundation and Chair of the Advisory Board to the Black Business and Professional Association. He has been a frequent speaker in various post-secondary institutions as well as professional and community forums.

Chief Justice Tulloch was born in Jamaica. He holds a B.A. from York University and a LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School. He has also received honourary Doctor of Laws degrees from the Toronto Metropolitan University, the University of Guelph, and the Law Society of Ontario, as well as an honourary Doctor of Divinity degree from Tyndale University and Seminary. He was admitted to the Bar of Ontario in 1991.