St. Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild of Saskatoon gather for Annual Red Mass at STM

Each fall St. Thomas More College (STM) collaborates with members of the St. Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild, and the wider legal community, to celebrate Red Mass.

The St. Thomas More Lawyers’ Guild of Saskatoon was incorporated in June 2002 by a group of local Catholic lawyers that seek to highlight integrity and the highest ethical standards in the practice of law, as well as the administration of justice, as exemplified by its namesake St. Thomas More. The Guild gathers to celebrate the Red Mass, as was introduced in England in 1310, during the reign of Edward I. It is celebrated now, as it was then, to invoke the inspiration of the Holy Spirit on behalf of those involved in the administration of justice.

November 14, 2024, marked the 22nd anniversary of this important event. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated in STM’s chapel by Most Reverend Mark Hagemoen, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon along with Most Reverend Michael Smolinski, bishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy of Saskatoon.

Following Mass, a banquet and program was held in the College. Christopher Donald K.C. served as the master of ceremonies. The guest speaker, Dr. Mary Heilman, Bioethicist for St. Paul’s Hospital and the Catholic Health Association of Saskatchewan, spoke to A Clinical Ethics Perspective on Health, Law & Ethics, a timely and thought-provoking topic.

Attendees included numerous members of the legal community, including the Honorable Mr. Justice Duane Koch and the Honorable Mr. Justice Neil Turcotte, Court of King’s Bench, and STM President Dr. Carl Still, liturgical ministers, STM faculty, staff, and alumni. Also, each year members of the Lawyers’ Guild generously purchase tickets for students who are either currently enrolled in the College of Law or STM students considering it in their future.

STM Director of Advancement Connie Andersen shared a newly released video presentation featuring STM students who reflected on how the community and support provided them through STM impacted their lives and overall college experience. Their endorsement and sentiments supporting Andersen’s commitment to securing financial support for students to enable a post-secondary experience through STM.