At the invitation of the St. Thomas More Society, the Most Reverend Mitchell T. Rozanski, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield, will celebrate a “Red Mass” on Sunday, October 6, 2019 at 10:00am at Saint Michael’s Cathedral, 260 State Street, Springfield, Mass.
All are welcome to attend the Red Mass at 10:00am, particularly all persons involved in the administration of law and justice in the Western Massachusetts community. A brunch will follow at 11:30am at the Log Cabin. Brunch tickets are $50 and may be purchased by contacting William Kern at 413-262-2905 or by email at william.kern@fkklawyers.com.
The St. Thomas More Society is made up of Catholic lawyers, paralegals, judges, clerks, law enforcement agents, and those committed to the administration of justice throughout Western Massachusetts. The director of the Society is Springfield Attorney, Michael G. McDonough, a partner at the law firm of Egan, Flanagan and Cohen, P.C.
“This year we are proud to celebrate five extraordinary individuals who have demonstrated an unmistakable commitment to their faith, the justice system, and their community,” McDonough said.
The five 2019 Red Mass honorees are:
ATTORNEY BRUCE E. DEVLIN
Bruce E. Devlin, Esq. is a partner at the law firm of Crear, Chadwell, Dos Santos & Devlin, P.C., where he concentrates in trust and estate planning, business law, tax, and commercial lending. In addition to his law practice, Attorney Devlin has served as a member of the Town of Somers Board of Education for ten years, serving as chairman for four of those years. He has also volunteered on behalf of the Community Music School and used his musical talents to benefit the community through fundraisers and charity concerts. Attorney Devlin has participated in the Pan-Mass Challenge to benefit Dana Farber. He and his family are communicants at St. Michael’s parish in East Longmeadow, where he and his wife have volunteered in providing counseling to couples preparing for the responsibilities of marriage.
ATTORNEY ELLEN W. FREYMAN
Ellen W. Freyman, Esq. is an accomplished attorney in the area of commercial real estate and land use planning. She practices at the law firm of Shatz, Schwartz & Fentin. In addition to her law practice, Attorney Freyman has contributed greatly to the community, including board and officer service with the Community Music School, Elms College, National Conference for Community and Justice, Jewish Family Service, Springfield Museum Association and the Springfield Technical Community College Foundation. She also serves on the Longmeadow Zoning Board of Appeals. She and her family are congregants at Temple Beth El in Springfield and Sons of Zion in Holyoke.
ATTORNEY PATRICK J. MARKEY
Patrick J. Markey, Esq. has served the community through volunteering overseas for the Peace Corps, working as a federal law clerk, and litigating as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. He was also the first chair of the Springfield Library Commission and currently serves as president of the Springfield Library Foundation. Attorney Markey has also served as the City Solicitor for Springfield. Currently, he practices civil litigation as co-founder of the Springfield firm Markey Barrett, P.C. Attorney Markey and his family are parishioners at Holy Name, where he has served on the Parish Council and Finance Committee, and volunteered as a youth soccer and baseball coach.
DEACON ANGEL PEREZ
Deacon Angel Perez has served the community as a Springfield Police Officer for 23 years. Deacon Perez is a man of strong religious faith, having been ordained a permanent deacon in the Catholic Church in 2009 after four years of theological study and spiritual formation at Elms College. In his capacity as a police officer, he works as a youth aid officer handling cases of child runaways, abuse victims, narcotics and even homicides. In his capacity as a deacon, he and his wife provide counseling to couples to strengthen marriages and families. Deacon Perez and his family are communicants at St. Michael’s Cathedral in Springfield.
ATTORNEY BENJAMIN D. SIMANSKI
Since 2013, Benjamin D. Simanski, Esq., has served as First Assistant Clerk Magistrate of the Superior Court, Franklin Division. He previously worked in private practice with his wife Kathleen and father David. While in private practice, Attorney Simanski worked on behalf of indigent criminal defendants, victims of sexual and domestic abuse, and many pro bono causes. He currently volunteers on behalf of the Franklin County Bar Association Community Fund Board, a tax-exempt organization engaged in fundraising for community outreach and charitable donations, and he is a past president of the Franklin County Bar Association. Attorney Simanski and his family are parishioners at Our Lady of Peace parish in Turners Falls.
This will be the St. Thomas More Society’s Eighteenth Annual Red Mass and Brunch. Each year, the Society honors members of the legal community who have distinguished themselves by acts of public service and commitment to the law. The honor is not limited only to Catholics. Any person who has demonstrated a commitment to their respective faith and the administration of justice in the community is eligible to receive the award.
At this year’s Red Mass, Hampden County Bar Association President Kathleen Cavanaugh, Esq. and Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan, Esq., will team up to serve as lectors for the First and Second Reading. Assistant District Attorney (Hampden County) Kelsey A. Lecca will read the Prayers of the Faithful.
What is the Red Mass?
The “Red Mass” is a historical tradition within the Catholic Church invoking the blessing and guidance of the Holy Spirit upon the courts, dating back to the Thirteenth Century when it officially opened the term of the court for most European countries.
This important historic tradition was introduced in the U.S. in 1928 in the Church of St. Andrew, located in New York City. The Red Mass is currently celebrated in dioceses throughout the United States to invoke God’s blessing upon the members of the bench, bar, legislature, law enforcement, governmental agencies, and all protectors and administrators of the law.