Biden, 5 Supreme Court justices attend controversial 'Red Mass'

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http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2010/10/03/biden-5-supreme-court-justices-attend-controversial-red-mass/?hpt=C2


Vice President Joe Biden joined five Supreme Court justices to attend Sunday's annual Red Mass, the Roman Catholic service for the courts that has drawn criticism in recent years.

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The Mass was started in 1952 by the John Carroll Society, a lay Catholic group of prominent lawyers and professionals, to celebrate the legal profession. But the event has drawn criticism in recent years for what many see as an unhealthy mix of politics, religion and the law.

The mass is a Catholic service, but power brokers of other faiths are asked to attend the invitation-only event. Critics have called the attendance of leading decision-makers, including members of the highest court in the land, inappropriate.

(its beyond 'inappropriate')

Past homilies by individual speakers have lamented the high court's ruling legalizing abortion and the constitutional separation of church and state, although most recent Red Mass ceremonies have avoided hot-button social and political issues to focus on universal themes. Church officials insist they do not attempt to lobby or seek to persuade anyone who attends the service.
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Ginsberg said in her book that she went once and would never go again because the sermon was outrageously anti-abortion.

thank you Ruth