Annual Red and Blue Mass recognizes legal community, law enforcement

Annual Red and Blue Mass recognizes legal community, law enforcement
 
Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger presided over the Seventh Annual Red and Blue Mass, a liturgy recognizing the legal community and law enforcement, Oct. 1 at St. Augustine Cathedral.

He thanked those gathered for playing their roles to “help establish order in society.”

Traditionally, Red Masses are offered for the legal community during the first week of October. In Tucson, the tradition included police and other members of law enforcement in 2013. The event is sponsored by the St. Thomas More Society of Southern Arizona. The society hands out three awards near the end of Mass, each highlighting members in the legal profession and law enforcement.  The Judge John Roll Scholarship, given to an outstanding law student, also is announced.

This year, the late attorney Michael W. Murray and retired Tucson Police Capt. Paul Sayre each were recognized for their work.

Murray died last Feb. 1 at age 83, after spending more than 50 years as a probate lawyer in Tucson and Green Valley. He was a parishioner at Sacred Heart Church and is said to have provided pro bono service to parishes and the Diocese. Judge Charles Harrington accepted the award on behalf of the family. 

Sayre worked in law enforcement more than 27 years and introduced a program called a Mental Health Support Team to the police department. The team provided a model that allowed law enforcement to use different protocols to address suspects with mental illness than those used to address suspects without mental illness. A member of Corpus Christi Parish, Sayre also teaches religion to students in grades 5-8 at St. Cyril Catholic School in Tucson.

Law student Jefferson Abbey received the Judge Roll Scholarship.
During his homily, Bishop Weisenburger preached on a number of the Beatitudes, part of the Mass’ Gospel reading. “The Beatitudes are at the very heart of Jesus’ message,” the bishop said.