-If your society has an educational or research function directly related to Thomas More and you would like to be listed here, send your charter or bylaws, as well as any other information you would like us to consider. Send these to: Thomas More Web Site, c/o 6517 Hillcrest Ave., Suite 402, Dallas, Texas, 75205, USA. Or send us an email to holliday@d-holliday.com

Thomas More Societies

International Washington Texas Delaware Indiana California

International
-Amici Thomae Mori ("Friends of Thomas More"): This international society publishes the Thomas More Gazette and organizes international conferences on Thomas More. Annual dues are $20; checks (payable to Amici Thomae Mori) can be sent to B.P. 808, 29 rue volney, 49008 Angers Cedex, France. The next international conference is August 9-16, 1998, at Maynooth College in County Kildare, Ireland.

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Washington, D.C.
-The Thomas More Society of America sponsors lectures and other programs in the Washington, D.C. area. The address is P. 0. Box 65175, Washington Square Station, Washington, D. C., 20035.

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Texas
-The St. Thomas More Society of Dallas sponsors lectures and short courses on Thomas More and his writings; an annual three-session course on legal ethics, for CLE credit; an annual Red Mass, with a banquet following. The address is 6517 Hillcrest Ave., Suite 402, Dallas, Texas, 75205.

1997 Calendar of Events

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Delaware
- The St. Thomas More Society of Wilmington, Delaware, sponsors spring and fall lectures as well as Annual Award Dinner each May. The address is: P.O. Box 2030, Wilmington, DE 19899

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Indiana
-St. Thomas More Lawyers' Guild of The Diocese of Gary, c/o John Potts, President, Valparaiso Univ. School of Law, Valparaiso, IN 46383-6493

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California

The St. Thomas More Society of Orange County, California
The St. Thomas More Society of Santa Clara County, California
The St. Thomas More Society of San Diego, California

- The St. Thomas More Society of Orange County, California, has regular meetings and publishes a newsletter. The address is: St. Thomas More Society, c/o Rutan & Tucker, 611 Anton Blvd., # 1400, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

AD VERITATEM

Ad veritatem is Latin for "toward the truth"

WHAT IS THE SOCIETY?

The St. Thomas More Society has been formed by a few Catholic lawyers" seeking to find new Catholic friends to come together once a month to discuss common challenges to our Faith experienced in the practice of law and to further our need to continually educate ourselves about our Catholic faith. We all face many challenges to our Faith in our daily practices and with the help of others in the same position. we can support each other in our quest for spiritual growth. We have prepared a formal statement of our purposes and goals. This is our ideal to which we will strive. it is not a statement of self-grandisement. We hope to provide opportunities to Catholic lawyers to strengthen their Faith through discussion of common problems as well as speakers who will help us deepen our understanding of the laws of God. (No, this does not qualify for MCLE credit - at least not the type required by the State Bar of California!)

Monthly meetings are scheduled for the third Thursday of each month. A light lunch is provided. We try to hold the meetings to a little over 1 hour. Please come and invite a friend! If you plan to attend, please let us know so can order lunch!

THE MISSION STATEMENT OF THE ST- THOMAS MORE SOCIETY

The St. Thomas More society of Orange county is an independent organization sponsored by lawyers and judges who are practicing members of the Roman Catholic Church.

IDEALS OF ST. THOMAS MORE.

-The legal professional is a high calling with corresponding responsibilities to society.
-The principal objective of every lawyer is to promote and seek justice for all.
-Catholic lawyer must pursue truth even if the truth is contrary to contemporary society.
-The duty of a Catholic lawyer is to remain faithful to Jesus Christ, His Church and its teachings at all times despite the personal consequences.

PURPOSE. The purpose and objective of the Society is:

-To encourage its members to live a Christian life and apply the principals and ideals exemplified by St. Thomas More in their daily lives and encourage same in the legal profession.
-To promote and foster high ethical principles in the legal profession generally and, in particular, in the community of Catholic lawyers
-To assist in the spiritual growth of its members.
-To encourage interfaith understanding and brotherhood.
-To sponsor the annual Red Mass for elected and appointed officials and members of the legal profession.

MEMBER COMMITMENTS: Each member of the Society will commit:

-To strive to live an exemplary Christian life and apply the principals and ideals exemplified by St. Thomas More in their daily lives and encourage same in the legal profession.
-To participate in the monthly Mass and/or prayer meeting of the Society.
-To attend and support the Red Mass.
-To recruit new members to the Society.

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The St. Thomas More Society of Santa Clara County, California

As with most Societies, our membership is made up of Catholic lawyers, judges and law students. We meet on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:00 for Mass, followed by breakfast and fellowship. Mass is held in Nobili Chapel on the campus of Santa Clara University.

In March of each year, we join our colleagues from around the state for a three-day silent retreat on the beautiful grounds of the Jesuit Retreat House in Los Altos.

In October, we sponsor a Red Mass, followed by a dinner to honor one of our members who has been selected to receive the St. Thomas More Award for professional and spiritual dedication to the humanistic principles promoted by our patron saint. All members of the legal community and government officials are invited to attend the Red Mass.

We will hold our Red Mass on Thursday, October 2, 1997, at St. Joseph's Cathedral in downtown San Jose, California, followed by a dinner at the Fairmont Hotel in San Jose. Everyone is invited to attend the Red Mass. We will honor Albert J. Ruffo, former Mayor of San Jose and co-founder and first coach of the San Francisco 49ers, with the St. Thomas More Award. Our guest speaker at dinner will be the Honorable Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

We are attempting to set up a mentor program for our law student members, and are also in the process of attempting to coordinate our efforts with the Catholic Community at Stanford University, where we understand a number of law students recently formed a St.Thomas More Society.

We are co-sponsoring the production of the play, "Maxims, Monarchy and Sir Thomas More" - a one-man play starring Graham Thatcher, produced by Periaktos Productions, LLt. The play features the story of Sir Thomas More in his last day in the Tower of London. We will produce the play on Friday, September 19, 1997, at Mayer Theater on the campus of Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, California. General admission is $25.00, and attendees will receive 2.0 units of MCLE credit for Ethics.

That's all for now!

If I can answer any questions or provide additional information, please let me know. Jeffrey B. Hare
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St. Thomas More Society of San Diego

The Thomas More Society of San Diego is a group of about 100 attorneys, judges, law students, and members of the legal profession dedicated to promote friendship among its members and to encourage the discussion and understanding of Catholic principles and traditions. Our members are a diverse cross-section of the legal community, including FBI agents, criminal defense attorneys, professors, civil litigators, district attorneys, probation officers, public defenders, federal and state judges, transactional and cannon lawyers.

The Society meets the first Friday of every month for Mass and lunch at the Westgate Hotel, located at 1055 Second Ave, in downtown San Diego. There are often speakers on topics of general interest to Catholics and the legal profession. Recent speakers have included Fr. James Coriden on Due Process, Santa Barbara Regional Bishop Thomas Curry regarding the Constitution and issues of church and state, presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Alan Keyes regarding politics and law, Father Robert Drinan on legal ethics, Constitutional scholar Herbert Titus, Lilia Velasquez on issues of interest to Catholics in recent International Women's Conferences, Edward Peters on Cannon Law and San Diego Councilman Juan Vargas on the homeless problem in San Diego.

MISSION STATEMENT

The Thomas More Society of San Diego is an association of Catholic Members of the legal profession dedicated:

1. To further social interaction among its members and to encourage frequent reception of the sacraments;

2. To promote the social, intellectual and spiritual welfare of its members;

3. To apply and promote Catholic principles and tradition to modern problems;

4. To preserve and promulgate the highest standards of professional knowledge and skill, integrity, ethics, civility, dignity and justice in accord with the best traditions of the legal profession; and

5. To assist all religious within San Diego County, including coordination of pro bono efforts and making the legal system more accessible, responsible and effective.

On September 12, 1997, we will be celebrating a Red Mass in California's oldest church, The Mission Basilica San Diego, while the State Bar Convention is held in San Diego. All members of the legal profession are invited. The Red Mass is said on special occasions and attended in large part by judges and lawyers seeking God's blessing and guidance in the administration of justice. The tradition originated centuries ago in Rome. We anticipate a fairly large crowd due to the number of Catholic attorneys and judges who will be visiting San Diego that weekend in addition to the members of our society.

Please call me or any other board member if you would like more information.

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