AP - Sun Oct 2, 1:22 PM ET President Bush, left, walks out with Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick Archbishop of Washington D.C., center, and Chief Justice of the United States John Roberts, right, after attending the 52nd annual Red Mass at St. Matthew's Cathedral Sunday, Oct. 2, 2005 in Washington. Walking behind are first lady Laura Bush, left, and Monsignor Ronald James, center, and an unidentified Secret Service Agent. The Red Mass is held on the Sunday prior to the opening of the Supreme Court's session. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
As tomorrow is the First Monday of October and the beginning of the Supreme Court's new term, Official Washington kicked the judicial year off in its traditional fashion with the Red Mass at St. Matthew's Cathedral. It is a long-cherished tradition of the Archbishops of Washington, especially the sitting one, who understands and engages issues of substance and the political process like none who came before. God love him.
Sources (over at WITL blogspot) are calling in with reports. Cardinal McCarrick spoke of public servants as "workers in the Vineyard." And, of course, we have a Catholic Chief again for the first time in a while, the words took on an added meaning.
The wire reports that a quorum of the Supremes were in attendance -- Roberts, Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas and Breyer. Cardinal Baum was also present, and not looking well according to reports. Of course, sources from the Hill don't know who Msgr. Gillan is, so God only knows if the Wakefield's trusted hand was around. And Ted said
"In the last few days, we have witnessed a period of greater civility in the selection of our chief justice..." [the Cardinal] said, looking ahead to Bush's next nomination to the high court. "I pray that that will continue because it is so important not just for good government, but for the good care of our people who look here to all of you and your colleagues for the kind of leadership that is not destructive or too intensely partisan."
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