The 55th Annual Red Mass
In Honor of Saint Thomas More
For the members of the Bench, Bar and Public Office
Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 12:00 PM
Christ Our Shepherd Center
2900 Seminary Drive
Greensburg, Pennsylvania 15601
Lunch immediately following.
Keynote Speaker
The Most Reverend Elias R. Lorenzo, OSB
Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark
The son of the late William Elias and Mae Theresa Lorenzo, Bishop Elias R. Lorenzo, O.S.B., was born on October 6, 1960, in Brooklyn, NY. He attended St. Agatha Parish Elementary School (Sunset Park) and Cathedral Prep (Fort Green) before pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Don Bosco College Seminary in Newton, NJ. He entered Saint Mary’s Abbey, Morristown, New Jersey, in 1983, making his first monastic profession on March 21, 1985. He was ordained a priest on June 24, 1989. Bishop Elias holds a Master’s degree in Liturgical Theology from St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN, a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ, and a Licentiate in Canon Law from The Catholic University of America in Washington, DC.
Bishop Elias has more than 30 years of experience in secondary school education and administration at Delbarton School, serving as director of campus ministry, teacher and chairman of the Religious Studies Department, member of the Board of Trustees, and Vice President for Development. In his role as educator, he also was engaged with Operation Smile International and served on its advisory board, traveling on multiple medical missions with Delbarton students to Bolivia, China, Honduras, India, Kenya, Nicaragua, and the Philippines.
In the monastery, Bishop Elias served as Director of Liturgy, Prior of the Abbey and Rector of Church. During this same time, he served as a member and chairman of the Paterson Diocesan Liturgical Commission for twelve years. Following his service as Prior, he was appointed Vicar for Religious in the Diocese of Metuchen. Thereafter, he worked as canonical counsel for Praesidium, Inc. in the development of national safe environment standards and protocols. He subsequently served on Praesidium’s advisory board.
For the global Benedictine Confederation, Bishop Elias served at Sant’Anselmo, the international Benedictine university in Rome, as Prior of the College. In addition, he worked as Procurator General for the Benedictine Order in Rome. Bishop Elias is a founding member of the International Commission for Benedictine Education, a global association of 180 secondary schools in 36 countries. In his role as President of the Commission, he visited Benedictine schools throughout the United States, Western Europe, South America, Latin America, Africa, Australia, and the Philippines.
In 2016, he was elected Abbot President of American Cassinese Congregation, an association of Benedictine monasteries. Erected by Pope Pius IX in 1855 under the patronage of the Holy Guardian Angels, this monastic Congregation includes 25 monasteries in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, and Taiwan with 650 monks. The Benedictine monasteries of the American Cassinese Congregation sponsor 9 colleges and universities and 14 secondary schools in North and South America and serve in pastoral ministry in many dioceses in six countries.
On February 27, 2020, His Holiness, Pope Francis named Abbot Elias an Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark, where he serves as the Regional Bishop for Union County.
About The Red Mass
The Red Mass has a long history within the Catholic Church dating back to the thirteenth century when it marked the official opening of the new term for courts in most European countries.
The Red Mass is currently celebrated throughout the United States to invoke God’s blessings upon the members of the bench, bar, legislature, law enforcement and governmental agencies — all protectors and administrators of the Law. The Diocese of Greensburg and Saint Vincent Archabbey, College and Seminary have jointly sponsored the Red Mass in this Diocese since 1968.
The Red Mass is attended by judges, lawyers, political leaders, and officials of all faiths who come together to ask God to bless, strengthen and enlighten them as servants of the Law so that, in cooperation and mutual trust, they may more effectively pursue justice and freedom for all.
