A top Los Angeles judge called on lawyers to follow in the footsteps of St. Thomas More while the archdiocese’s longtime legal counsel received a surprise award at the 2024 LA Red Mass on Oct. 23.
“Civility is the lawyer's version of charity” in the face of “misplaced adversarialism,” said Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Carolyn Kuhl, the closing speaker at this year’s event. “Let us commit to respond with civility emulating St. Thomas.”
More than 400 people attended this year’s liturgy, which featured Homeboy Industries founder Father Greg Boyle as homilist and concluded with a surprise award for the Archdiocese of LA’s general counsel, Marge Graf.
While this year’s Mass coincided with the final weeks of the 2024 U.S. presidential election campaign, Kuhl’s remarks mostly focused on the spiritual legacy of the 16th century English lawyer and philosopher. But she also expressed concern about “threats to the independence of the judiciary,” particularly “threats to the independence of the judiciary, including physical violence, institutional threats such as ‘deepfakes’ and cyber-attacks from foreign powers, and a narrative that judges consistently make political decisions rather than upholding the rule of law.”
Kuhl, who is Catholic, pointed to three “spiritual fundamentals” taken from More’s life worth imitating: prioritizing prayer and a relationship with God; nurturing a family life; and doing acts of penance in the spirit of the hair shirt that More was known to wear under his clothes.
Typically celebrated around the time the U.S. Supreme Court starts its new year in the fall, the Red Mass is a civic and ecumenical event that draws local judges, lawyers, legislators, legal professionals, and community leaders.
Main celebrant Archbishop José H. Gomez was joined by Auxiliary Bishops Albert Bahhuth and Matthew Elshoff, and some 15 priests. Students from nearby Loyola High School were there as altar servers, while the Mass’ ceremonial honor guard was led by members of the Knights of Saint Peter Claver and the Knights of Columbus. Delegations from the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre and the Order of Malta were also present.
This year’s interreligious delegation included representatives from Orthodox and Protestant denominations, as well as from Jewish, Muslim, and Sikh faith traditions.
In his homily, Boyle challenged the traditional interpretation of the words of Jesus Christ in the day’s Gospel about the importance of faithful and vigilant stewardship: “Be prepared, for at an hour you do not expect, the Son of Man will come.”
“I don't think Jesus says ‘be prepared’ because death is coming, but because life is happening,” said Boyle. “Once you know the God of love, you fire all the other gods. We want to align our heart with the God who wants us to be there when it happens.”
To explain what being “there” in life means, Boyle quoted American poet Mary Oliver, who before her death in 2019 said there were three things she’d learned in her 83 years of life: Pay attention, be astonished, and “share your astonishment.”
In a similar way, said Boyle, “Jesus says stay awake, be prepared so that we can choose to be in the world who God is: compassionate, loving and kind.”
The surprise of the night, however, came when St. Thomas More Society of LA president Michele Friend announced its first-ever “Spirit of Justice” lifetime achievement award “for an amazing person in our midst.”
“We may not be here today if it wasn't for Marge Graf,” said Friend while introducing Graf, who has worked as general counsel for the Archdiocese of LA since 2001 and previously served as the society chapter’s president.
Friend praised Graf as a lawyer with “a total commitment to doing the right thing” who “brings a human element to the way she practices law.” She also recalled Graf’s role during litigation in the settlement of more than a thousand historical abuse claims by the LA Archdiocese.
“Lawyers on the other side of the table said Marge made it clear that the goal was to do the right thing,” said Friend. “A lot of this is owed to her, to her desire and willingness to make hard decisions. They said she was vital to the process: always straight up and always compassionate. She was remarkably transparent and this openness was critical to the process.”
“Marge, you have been entrusted with so much, and we are so very grateful for your faithful stewardship,” Friend added.
After receiving a standing ovation, Graf accepted the award on behalf of those who’d been harmed by abuse.
“I certainly had no expectation of this [award] and certainly not at an hour when we are all working so hard to recognize, to understand, and to support those who have been harmed and deserve justice.”
