By Patrick Downes
Hawaii Catholic Herald
Bishop Larry Silva will preside and preach at the annual Red Mass at 9 a.m., Jan. 18, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace in Honolulu. His homily topic is “legal and bloodless violence” — abuse perpetrated by the misuse of media, law and economic policies.
The Red Mass is celebrated in Hawaii each January during the week the state legislature opens. An island tradition since 1955, this public liturgy is the church’s prayer to the Holy Spirit for wisdom and guidance for the state’s public servants.
More than 1,000 invitations have been sent to government, military, educational, social service, legal and religious leaders in Hawaii.
In a synopsis of his sermon, Bishop Silva wrote, “The word violence is most often understood as some degree of physical or emotional abuse … Yet some of our laws and institutions themselves can lead to violence that is bloodless, but abusive nonetheless.”
The bishop listed those “bloodless” forms of violence as “manipulation of truth in the media, lawsuits that seek vengeance or profits rather than true justice, and economic policies that put profits before people can all be forms of violence.”
While perfectly legal, he said they result in exorbitant health care costs, unemployment and the lack of affordable housing.
“Our faith calls us to confront the violence in our own hearts and in our own society, so that our institutions can better assure justice and peace for all,” the bishop said.
The tradition of the Red Mass began more than 700 years ago in France. It was introduced in the United States in the early 1900s and has become an annual event in Washington, D.C., and other major mainland cities.
The Mass is named for the color of the vestments generally used for a Mass of the Holy Spirit.
A reception will follow the Mass on the mauka mall outside the cathedral.