AJ on Christmas Day 2007

AJ - Throwing the Ole Baseball Around!

Thanksgiving Day 2007: Tender Turkey, Slight Snow, & Fun Family

Guy Fawkes Night / Bonfire Night

Guy Fawkes Night, more commonly known as Bonfire Night, is an annual celebration on the evening of the 5th of November. It celebrates the foiling of the Gunpowder Plot of the 5th of November 1605 in which a number of Roman Catholic conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

The traditional rhyme to commemorate this event in British history is:

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,
The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,
I know of no reason
Why Gunpowder Treason
Should ever be forgot.
Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent
To blow up King and Parliament.
Three-score barrels of powder below
To prove old England's overthrow;
By God's providence he was catch'd
With a dark lantern and burning match.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.
Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

If this rings a bell, it may be because "Guy Fawkes Night" is the pivotal date in the graphic novel V for Vendetta and its film adaptation, which starred Natalie Portman as Evey Hammond.

Traditionally, effigies of the Pope are burned alongside those of Guy Fawkes at huge bonfires which follow the procession at sites on the edges of the town, reminding the watching crowd of the event's roots in anti-Catholic feelings dating back to the burning of 17 Protestant martyrs in Lewes in the 16th Century, and fed by the 1605 gunpowder plot.

Those sentiments are reflected in the following verse of the traditional rhyme, which was also sung years ago, but has fallen out of favour because of its offensive content:

A penny loaf to feed the Pope
A farthing o' cheese to choke him.
A pint of beer to rinse it down.
A faggot of sticks to burn him.
Burn him in a tub of tar.
Burn him like a blazing star.
Burn his body from his head.
Then we'll say ol' Pope is dead.
Hip hip hoorah!
Hip hip hoorah hoorah!

For more, see:

"Explosive event remembers Guy Fawkes" by Martha Buckley, BBC News, at

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3988037.stm

Guy Fawkes Night. (2007, November 5). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:33, November 5, 2007, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Guy_Fawkes_Night&oldid=169421499

The Annual Red Mass

Little AJ - The Crib is Gone, the Bed is Here!

Life on the Farm: 30th of September, 2007

Little AJ Turns Two-Years-Old

2007 Red Mass - Archdiocese of San Antonio

Red Mass to Pray for Legal System, Homeless

The 55th annual Red Mass, celebrating the San Antonio legal community and inviting blessing on the judicial year, is slated for Thursday, Oct. 25 at San Fernando Cathedral, 115 Main Plaza.

Archbishop José Gomez is scheduled to be the principal celebrant with the Rev. John Leis, professor of theology at St. Mary’s University, delivering the homily and Judge Barbara Hervey, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, reflecting on the importance of this occasion to the legal profession.

During the liturgy, there will be a time of prayer for the homeless and the legal practitioners, public officials and citizens who work to address their plight through innovative and holistic approaches, including the establishment of the Homeless Court, Homeless Haven and the mayor’s hunger and homelessness initiatives.

With the Main Plaza construction, the solemn procession of the judges in their robes and members of San Antonio legal organizations carrying their banners is to begin in front of the Justice Carlos Cadena Courthouse and process into the Cathedral at 6:00 p.m.

A reception will follow at the Plaza Club in the Frost Bank Building.

Red Mass dates back to 1245. The name is derived from the scarlet robes worn by judges and red vestments worn by priests in honor of the Holy Spirit. Red Mass is celebrated throughout the country to for the purpose of requesting God’s blessings and guidance on the administration of justice.

Date: 09/27/2007 Author: Beth Barbee

http://www.stmarytx.edu/news/?section=law&id=1489

2007 Red Mass - Diocese of Fort Worth

The 2007 Red Mass, offered for judges, attorneys, law school professors and students, government officials, and those of all faith traditions who work in any capacity within the legal profession, will be celebrated at 6 p.m. on Oct. 19 at St. Patrick Cathedral, 1206 Throckmorton St. in downtown Fort Worth. Bishop Kevin Vann will preside as the celebrant and homilist. A reception will follow in the Fort Worth Convention Center.

According to the event's organizers, the Red Mass is offered to invoke divine guidance and strength while initiating the legal year. It is celebrated in honor of the Holy Spirit as the source of wisdom, understanding, counsel, and fortitude.

The custom of celebrating the Red Mass, said local attorney Robert Gieb, who is organizing this year's liturgy, "originated in Europe in the 13th century. The Red Mass has also been traditionally identified with the opening of the Sacred Roman Rota, the supreme judicial body of the Catholic church. The inauguration of the Red Mass in the United States occurred in New York City on Oct. 6, 1928."

Red Masses are held in Catholic churches across the country each fall,including the annual Red Mass celebrated at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., on the first Monday in October. This Mass is attended by the Justices of the Supreme Court; members of Congress; members of the president's Cabinet; diplomats; and, at times, the President of the United States.

Cathedral parking will be available in the parking lot adjacent to the cathedral, on the parish lots between 12th and 13th streets, and on the street. For more information about the Red Mass, contact Robert Gieb at:

(817) 336-5681 or via e-mail to rgieb@flash.net

2007 Red Mass - Diocese of Dallas

2007 Red Mass

Hosted by the St. Thomas More Society - Diocese of Dallas Chapter

Dear Fellow Attorneys and Friends of the St. Thomas More Society:

The annual Red Mass honoring members of the legal profession will be celebrated on Saturday, October 13, 2007, at 5:30 p.m. at the Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe, 2215 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas. The Red Mass will be celebrated and the homily preached by Bishop Kevin Farrell.

The Mass will be followed by a cocktail reception (cash bar) and dinner (black tie optional) across the street from the Cathedral in the Sky Lobby of the Dallas Petroleum Club, 2200 Ross Avenue, 39th Floor, Dallas, Texas. Space is limited, so please return the enclosed registration form as soon as possible.

We are extremely pleased that Greg Abbott, the Attorney General of Texas, has agreed to deliver the keynote speech following the dinner. There is a charge to attend the dinner. The dinner includes dessert and wine served with the meal. Included in the price of the dinner is convenient parking for both the Red Mass and the reception-dinner in the underground parking garage of the Chase Tower. A discounted rate is available for judges, lawyers in public service (e.g., lawyers employed by governmental units or agencies) and their spouses/guests, as reflected on the enclosed registration form.

The Red Mass is the only ecumenical religious event of the year offered for the entire Judaeo-Christian legal community in the Dallas area. All members of the judiciary, the bar, law faculty, their families and staffs are invited to join in this solemn religious ceremony invoking the guidance of the Holy Spirit in the deliberations of the courts and in the endeavors of all members of the legal profession in the administration of justice.

The beautiful custom of the Red Mass began in Europe in the 13th century, principally in France, Italy and England. The first recorded Red Mass was celebrated in 1245 in Paris. For many centuries, the Red Mass was said in La Sainte Chapelle, which was built by King Louis XIV of France (St. Louis). The Red Mass in Rome has always centered on the Roman Rota, the supreme judicial body of the Roman Catholic Church. The English tradition of the Red Mass began during the reign of Edward I, in approximately the year 1310. The Red Mass in England was originally celebrated in Westminster Abbey at the opening of the Michaelmas term of court.

The name "Red Mass" comes from the color of the vestments of the clergy and the robes of the Lord High Justices and assembled scholars. Judicial robes in Europe were a brilliant scarlet. The academic robes of professors with doctoral degrees were also bright red. The red vestments of the clergy signify that the Mass seeks the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

In 1928, the first Red Mass was celebrated in the United States in New York City for the Guild of Catholic Lawyers of New York City. The Red Mass is now celebrated annually in most major metropolitan centers in the United States. The Red Mass is celebrated each October in our nation's capital and attended by the United States Supreme Court, members of Congress and even on occasion the President.

Previous guest speakers/honorees at the Red Mass dinner in Dallas include:

Avery Cardinal Dulles, S.J.,

Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Denver,

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia,

Judges Edith Clement and the late ReynaJdo Garza of the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals,

Texas Supreme Court Justice Raul Gonzales,

Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice Joseph D. Nolan,

Chief Bankruptcy Judge for the Northern District of Texas Robert C. McGuire,

the Hon. Henry Hyde,

the late Bowie Kuhn, Esq.,

the late Tom Unis, Esq.,

Hal Tehan, Esq.,

Princeton University Professor Robbie George,

and EWTN television personality Mitch Pacwa, S.J.

Please direct any inquiries to me or the Diocese of Dallas Chapter officers listed on the next page. Please send your registration form and payment to Mike Uhl, the Treasurer.

Sincerely in Christ,

Vincent J. Hess, Esq.
President
St. Thomas More Society - Diocese of Dallas Chapter

**********

Officers of the St. Thomas More Society - Diocese of Dallas Chapter

Vincent J. Hess, Esq., President
Locke, Liddell & Sapp PLLC
2200 Ross Avenue, Suite 2200
Dallas, Texas 75201
Telephone: 214-740-8732
Fax: 214-740-8800
Email: vhess@lockeliddell.com


Mark D. Cronenwett, Esq., Vice President
Cowles & Thompson, LLP
901 Main Street, Suite 4000
Dallas, TX 75202
Phone: (214)672-2159
Fax: (214)672-2359
Email: mCTonenwett@cowlesthomDSon.com


S. Cass Weiland, Esq., Secretary
Patton Boggs LLP
2001 Ross Avenue, Suite 3000
Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214) 758-1504
Fax: (214)758-1550
Email: cweiland@pattonboggs.com


Mike Uhl, Esq., Treasurer
Fitzpatrick Hagood Smith & Uhl LLP
Chateau Plaza
2515 McKinney Avenue, Suite 1400
Dallas, TX 75201
Phone: (214)237-0809
Fax: (214)237-0901
Email: muhl@fhsulaw.com

**********

RED MASS AND DINNER REGISTRATION FORM

Response requested ASAP because seating is limited.

Name (s):
Address:
Phone Number:
email:
Please check all that apply:

I am currently a dues-paying member of the St. Thomas More Society of Dallas.

I am not currently a dues-paying member of the St. Thomas More Society of Dallas, but
have enclosed a check for $40 to cover dues through December 31,2007.

I/we will attend the Red Mass at 5:30 p.m. on October 13,2007, at the Cathedral Shrine
of the Virgin of Guadalupe, but will be unable to attend the reception and dinner.

I/we will attend the Red Mass and the reception and dinner (black tie optional)
immediately following the Red Mass in the Sky Lobby of the Dallas Petroleum Club.

My law firm is interested in being a name sponsor of the Red Mass dinner. (A member
of the Society's Board will contact you.)

I will be unable to attend the Red Mass and dinner, but enclosed is my donation in the
amount of $ to help cover expenses.

I would also like to sponsor one or more members of the clergy for the dinner:
one ($75) two ($150) other ($ )

MAKE CHECK PAYABLE TO: St. Thomas More Society
Please return to: Mike Uhl, Esq.
Fitzpatrick Hagood Smith & Uhl, LLP
Chateau Plaza
2515 McKinney Avenue, Suite 1400
Dallas, Texas 75201

Happy Birthday "AJ"! Born 18 September 2005!

University of Dallas Ministry Conference

The University of Dallas Ministry Conference

The University of Dallas Ministry Conference was held September 6 - 8, 2007 at the Westin Park Central Hotel in Dallas, Texas. The conference was sponsored by the University of Dallas School of Ministry in association with the Diocese of Dallas. Although the Conference was designed for those in the Diocese of Dallas and the surrounding area, an open registration policy attracted regional and national participants, and the total registration crossed over 1,500.

The theme for the 2007 University of Dallas Ministry Conference was “Walking Together in Faith/ Caminando juntos en la fe,” and it was officially opened with a welcome by both the Most Rev. Kevin J. Farrell, D.D., Bishop of Dallas, and Dr. Frank Lazarus, the President of the University of Dallas. The Conference featured speakers such as the Most Rev. Ricardo Ramirez, D.D., Bishop of Las Cruces; the Rev. Ronald Rolheiser, OMI, President of the Oblate School of Theology; and Steven Ellair, author, lecturer and Senior Editor for RCL Publishing.

Following the large plenary addresses, participants attended smaller breakout sessions in both English and Spanish. Those sessions were developed to meet competency-based standards, covering a wide range of areas within Catholic Ministry, including Adult Catechesis, Parish Leadership, Sacraments, Scripture, Social Justice, Spirituality, and Theology.

Irene Arellano Named Service Learning Coordinator at Texas Tech University

Congratulations to Irene Arellano, who has been named the Service Learning Coordinator at Texas Tech University!

The Service Learning Program is under the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs, and is part of the Teaching, Learning, and Technology Center.

She writes from Lubbock (her home town), that she is into her second week in the new position, and that she jumped right into the role by providing the training for the Service Learning Faculty Fellows. Sounds like she is off to a great start!

To contact Irene and wish her well in her new job:

Irene Arellano
Service Learning Coordinator
Teaching, Learning and Technology Center
Texas Tech University
Box 42044
Lubbock, Texas 79409
T 806.742.0133
F 806.742.0134
irene.arellano@ttu.edu