Washington D.C., Oct 3, 2016 / 15:02 pm
Amidst the current environment of "political polarization," one archbishop exhorted public officials on Sunday not to be discouraged, but to pray together and ask for "an outpouring of the Holy Spirit."
"At this critical moment in our nation's history, at this time when America seems to be almost paralyzed by a political polarization that impedes our ability to address effectively a whole host of pressing needs, we gather not just to pray for our country and its leaders in general, but to plead in a particular way for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit on those who are involved in the administration of justice," Archbishop Bernard Hebda of St. Paul-Minneapolis said on Sunday.
Archbishop Hebda preached the homily at the Red Mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew in Washington, D.C. The Mass has been held annually for Supreme Court justices, judges, and other public officials since 1952, and the tradition of such a Mass for public officials dates back centuries in Europe. The Mass is named for the red vestments worn by the priest, the color of fire and a symbol of the Holy Spirit.
Cardinal Wuerl celebrated the Mass and Archbishop Hebda was the homilist.