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Catholic Lawyer's Guild Luncheon - Boston 9/23/89 [1]
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2
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
September 21, 1989
INFORMATION
MEMORANDUM FOR THE PRESIDENT
THROUGH:
CHRISS WINSTON cw
FROM:
EDWARD McNALLY EMN
SUBJECT:
REMARKS FOR THE RED MASS LUNCHEON IN BOSTON
I. SUMMARY
Attached for your consideration and review are draft
remarks for Saturday's address at the luncheon sponsored by the
Catholic Lawyers' Guild in Boston.
II. DISCUSSION
At 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 23, 1989, you and
Governor Sununu are scheduled to arrive at the Park Plaza Hotel
in Boston, to address a luncheon gathering following the annual
Red Mass sponsored by Cardinal Law and the Catholic Lawyers'
Guild.
You will be introduced by Judge Joseph Nolan, the
Guild's President. Approximately 300-400 lawyers and judges are
expected to attend the luncheon, which is open to members of all
faiths. The event will also be attended by various government
and religious officials, including Governor Dukakis, Chief
Justice Liacof, and several area Bishops.
The suggested theme of these remarks -- echoing Thomas
Jefferson's challenge to work to extend "peace, liberty, and
safety" to all our citizens -- was originally proposed in the
draft remarks submitted by Cardinal Law, which you reviewed on
Air Force One while returning from Spokane Tuesday afternoon. An
extensive call for community service and "1,000 Points of Light"
has been incorporated to complement this theme.
(Grant/McNally/Martin)
September 21, 1989
Draft Four (B:RED)
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: CATHOLIC LAWYERS' GUILD LUNCHEON
PARK PLAZA HOTEL
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1989
Thank you. And thank you, Judge [[JOSEPH] Nolan
[PRESIDENT OF THE CATHOLIC LAWYERS' GUILD] ] for those warm
words, and for inviting us to join this fine gathering.
It's good to see Governor Dukakis here today, as well as the
Chief Justice [[JUSTICE LIACOF, OF THE SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT OF
MASSACHUSETTS And we're especially pleased to be here with my
good friend, Cardinal Law.
For those of you in the back of the room, I'll try to speak.
up. [[PAUSE]] Cardinal Law warned me that the agnostics in this
room are very bad.
We've enjoyed visits by the Cardinal to both Kennebunkport
and the White House in recent months, and we were happy to accept
when he conveyed your kind invitation to lunch. I told my staff
to set it up for any Saturday this fall -- so long as Holy Cross
wasn't playing B.C. [[BOSTON COLLEGE] [[PAUSE]]
One aide noticed that "Red, [PAUSE] ] Mass. " was on the trip
schedule. He pulled out a map and asked: "Is that anywhere near
Boston?" [[PAUSE] ]
This is quite a gathering. I hear F. Lee Bailey told one TV
show that there hasn't been so much legal talent assembled in one
room in Boston since the time he played solitaire. [[PAUSE]]
2
We're pleased Governor Sununu is here with us today. Like
many young Catholics, as a boy John dreamed of one day becoming
Pope. It was only after having eight kids that we got him to
settle for Chief of Staff. [[PAUSE]]
Yesterday marked the first day of autumn. It is the season
of harvest, the season of change, the season of "back-to-school"
and new beginnings. And it is with great respect and reverence
that I come to you this day, the day of the Red Mass, a stirring
and deeply spiritual tradition.
Today and tomorrow, men and women of the bar will join in
solemn prayer, across America and around the world, gathering
wherever civilization has been graced with the twin blessings of
rule of law and faith in God.
The ancient roots of the Red Mass are so intertwined with
the earliest days of the law that its precise origins are, quite
literally, lost in time.
Some say this beautiful and inspiring ritual was first
observed in 13th century Rome. Others say it began in King
Edward's London, beneath the gothic arches of the Inns of Court.
Still others support the theory that it began in Paris.
Wherever the Red Mass was first observed, we can be sure of
one thing. A tradition that spans seven centuries was started
when one man with an idea -- one lawyer, or one priest -- stepped
forward to act with conviction.
The Red Mass is a celebration and a renewal, a reminder to
every lawyer and judge -- Catholic or Jew, Protestant or Moslem
3
-- that yours is a profession dedicated not merely to practical
results or material progress, but to a higher duty, and to the
public good.
Many years ago, one of my predecessors, a man trained and
accomplished in the same profession as yourselves, found himself
facing a crisis of conviction. Many Americans had come to doubt
the very foundations upon which this nation was laid.
It was widely suggested that the early success of the United
States was an accident of natural wealth. People said that the
sophisticated problems of modern times required a re-thinking of
the democratic institutions of our nation's youth.
The President was burdened by a troubling question: Do the
founders of our nation have anything to say to the present day --
or is it necessary to start over on a new basis?
The man was Thomas Jefferson. The occasion, his inaugural
address. And the response he made to that crisis is as forceful
today as it was in his own age.
For Jefferson understood that the essence of America lies
not in shared real estate -- but in shared values. Not in a
common ancestry -- but in a common vision.
Jefferson spoke of the rights and responsibilities of free
citizens. "Every difference of opinion," he warned, "is not a
difference of principle. "
And he singled out one such unyielding principle as
fundamental to our continued life as a nation -- "equal and exact
4
justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or
political."
The challenge that Thomas Jefferson delivered to his fellow
citizens, I deliver to you this afternoon.
I challenge you, as Catholic lawyers, not to give in to the
dismay of those today who, in error or alarm, have wandered from
the basic convictions to which our nation is pledged. I
challenge you to rekindle and foster a love of justice. American
justice. A justice that knows no boundaries of race, sex,
income, or age. [[PAUSE]]
We're all born with certain talents and abilities, and part
of growing up Catholic in America is being reminded of each
person's obligation to use the gifts that God gave them.
Perhaps some of you saw this amazing Notre Dame sophomore
last Saturday -- Raghib "Rocket" Ismail. Not once but twice he
returned kickoffs for record-breaking touchdowns -- the best use
of speed since Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier.
Well, as lawyers, as advocates, part of your task is to use
your talents -- to speak for those unable to speak for
themselves.
I challenge you to re-articulate those principles that are
deeper than our differences. The principles of equal and exact
justice, and that vision of free and responsible citizenship
which forms our common heritage.
5
Now, we may be preaching to the converted. None of the
judges I've spoken to ever complained of difficulty in getting a
group of Boston lawyers to speak their minds. [ [PAUSE]]
And it's clear you appreciate the power of communication.
We've heard about the archdiocese's new T.V. recruiting ads.
[[PAUSE] It was Cardinal Law who said: "If he were here today,
Saint Paul would be on Madison Avenue. " [[PAUSE]
Everyone here is uniquely suited for the task. By virtue of
your profession and your faith, you are alive to the fact that --
if we are indeed "one nation, under God" -- then our
responsibilities do not end with simply obeying the law. We must
actively work to extend peace, liberty and safety to all our
fellow citizens.
As Saint Augustine said: "While law makes us obedient to
justice, God makes us agents of justice, doers of justice,
creators of justice."
I challenge you, as men and women of faith, to give voice to
this justice. Do it proudly, with the courage of conviction.
And carry justice to all our citizens -- especially to those who
know it least.
We must devote special attention to the problems of those on
the margins, those lacking adequate food or shelter, those
addicted or mentally ill, those whose neighborhoods have been
decimated by crime.
6
We must remember the unremembered. Protect the unprotected.
And stand up for those who live in a world of pain: The hungry
and the homeless, the haunted and the hurting.
It's not enough to give them justice. We must also give
them hope.
Part of this effort belongs in the courtroom, where
prosecutors and judges fight to preserve justice, and where
private attorneys perform untold good through pro bono [[PRO
BONE-OH]] efforts.
Consider, for example, "Operation Uplift," begun by lawyers
in Minneapolis and now spreading across the country.
Its premise is simple. When an attorney represents a client
pro bono, the client is asked to do volunteer work in the
neighborhood or community, pledging one hour of service for every
hour the attorney spends working on their case. It costs
nothing, and doubles the good done by pro bono efforts.
But ultimately, to succeed, this effort can't end with the
working day. The grassroots movement we've called "A Thousand
Points of Light" must reach out to America's hurting where they
are, in the classroom as well as the courtroom, and in church
basements, street corners and lonely apartments. The bottom line
is this: From now on in America, any definition of a successful
life must include service to others.
This room is rich with shining examples of good men and
women who have devoted their lives to service -- in private, in
public, and in the pulpit.
7
Make community service central to your life and work.
Somewhere, in your own community, there is an illiterate man
yearning for the gift most of you have enjoyed since childhood --
the ability to read.
Somewhere, in your own community, there is a homeless family
that needs food, clothing and shelter.
And somewhere, in your own community, there is a scared
little boy, tempted to buy crack or join a gang, who needs the
love and guidance of a Big Brother.
There are countless unmet needs, countless ways in which you
can make a difference for the better. For you who are senior
partners, I urge you to consider community service by your
associates in hiring and promotion decisions.
At the end of the day, let it be said about you that -- more
than your record in court or the hours you've billed -- this was
the way in which you touched the life of someone in need.
Finally, with particular concern, we challenge you to even
greater efforts toward the protection of human life at its most
fragile, life in the womb. [[PAUSE]] Use your talents, your
energy, and your professional resources to reaffirm the right to
life as the most fundamental freedom.
Your contribution to this cause in recent years has been
very great indeed. Progress has been made, but it is clear that
there is much more work to be done.
The Jeffersonian vision of justice -- of peace, liberty and
safety for all -- has permeated our American understanding of
8
rights, of responsibilities, of life itself. It is evident in
one of our symbols, the American flag, but I want to look at
something more common than the flag -- a single dime.
[[It is more easily carried than a flag, although as many of
your profession know particularly well, it is not as flammable. ]]
There are three emblems on the back of a dime. An olive
branch, a torch, and the limb of an oak.
The olive branch symbolizes our longing for peace, our
willingness to live by righteousness, not simply by military
might. Next to the olive branch is a torch, the lamp of liberty.
And beside the torch lies the oak, the symbol of safety, of
security, and of the strength which guarantees them.
Finally, in the midst of the three reads the motto, "E
Pluribus Unum." "From the many, one. " We are a diverse people,
with many backgrounds, many challenges, and many hopes.
I call upon you today, the Guild of Catholic Lawyers, to
give voice to the consensus, the oneness of values which lives
beneath the diversity. I call upon you, as agents and creators
of justice, to help us bring about the peace, liberty and safety
we seek for every human being.
God bless you, and God bless the United States. Thank you.
###
File
REMARKS: CATHOLIC LAWYERS' GUILD LUNCHEON
PARK PLAZA HOTEL
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1989
THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, JUDGE [[JOSEPH]] NOLAN
[[PRESIDENT OF THE CATHOLIC LAWYERS' GUILD]] FOR THOSE
WARM WORDS, AND FOR INVITING US TO JOIN THIS FINE
GATHERING.
It's GOOD TO SEE GOVERNOR DUKAKIS HERE TODAY, AS
WELL AS THE CHIEF JUSTICE [[JUSTICE LIACOF, OF THE
SUPREME JUDICIAL COURT OF MASSACHUSETTS]].
- 2 -
AND WE'RE ESPECIALLY PLEASED TO BE HERE WITH MY GOOD
FRIEND, CARDINAL LAW.
FOR THOSE OF YOU IN THE BACK OF THE ROOM, I'LL TRY
TO SPEAK UP. [[PAUSE]] CARDINAL LAW WARNED ME THAT
THE AGNOSTICS IN THIS ROOM ARE VERY BAD.
WE'VE ENJOYED VISITS BY THE CARDINAL TO BOTH
KENNEBUNKPORT AND THE WHITE HOUSE IN RECENT MONTHS, AND
WE WERE HAPPY TO ACCEPT WHEN HE CONVEYED YOUR KIND
INVITATION TO LUNCH.
- 3 -
I TOLD MY STAFF TO SET IT UP FOR ANY SATURDAY THIS FALL
-- SO LONG AS HOLY CROSS WASN'T PLAYING B.C. [ [BOSTON
COLLEGE]]. [[PAUSE]]
ONE AIDE NOTICED THAT "RED, [[PAUSE]] MASS." WAS ON
THE TRIP SCHEDULE. HE PULLED OUT A MAP AND ASKED: "Is
THAT ANYWHERE NEAR BOSTON?" [[PAUSE]]
WE'RE PLEASED GOVERNOR SUNUNU IS HERE WITH US
TODAY. LIKE MANY YOUNG CATHOLICS, AS A BOY JOHN
DREAMED OF ONE DAY BECOMING POPE.
- 4 -
IT WAS ONLY AFTER HAVING EIGHT KIDS THAT WE GOT HIM TO
SETTLE FOR CHIEF OF STAFF. [[PAUSE]]
YESTERDAY MARKED THE FIRST DAY OF AUTUMN. IT IS
THE SEASON OF HARVEST, THE SEASON OF CHANGE, THE SEASON
OF "BACK-TO-SCHOOL" AND NEW BEGINNINGS. AND IT IS WITH
GREAT RESPECT AND REVERENCE THAT I COME TO YOU THIS
DAY, THE DAY OF THE RED MASS, A STIRRING AND DEEPLY
SPIRITUAL TRADITION.
- 5 -
TODAY AND TOMORROW, MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BAR WILL
JOIN IN SOLEMN PRAYER, ACROSS AMERICA AND AROUND THE
WORLD, GATHERING WHEREVER CIVILIZATION HAS BEEN GRACED
WITH THE TWIN BLESSINGS OF RULE OF LAW AND FAITH IN
GOD.
THE ANCIENT ROOTS OF THE RED MASS ARE so
INTERTWINED WITH THE EARLIEST DAYS OF THE LAW THAT ITS
PRECISE ORIGINS ARE, QUITE LITERALLY, LOST IN TIME.
- 6 -
SOME SAY THIS BEAUTIFUL AND INSPIRING RITUAL WAS
FIRST OBSERVED IN 13TH CENTURY ROME. OTHERS SAY IT
BEGAN IN KING EDWARD'S LONDON, BENEATH THE GOTHIC
ARCHES OF THE INNS OF COURT. STILL OTHERS SUPPORT THE
THEORY THAT IT BEGAN IN PARIS.
WHEREVER THE RED MASS WAS FIRST OBSERVED, WE CAN BE
SURE OF ONE THING.
- 7 -
A TRADITION THAT SPANS SEVEN CENTURIES WAS STARTED WHEN
ONE MAN WITH AN IDEA -- ONE LAWYER, OR ONE PRIEST --
STEPPED FORWARD TO ACT WITH CONVICTION.
THE RED MASS IS A CELEBRATION AND A RENEWAL, A
REMINDER TO EVERY LAWYER AND JUDGE -- CATHOLIC OR JEW,
PROTESTANT OR MOSLEM -- THAT YOURS IS A PROFESSION
DEDICATED NOT MERELY TO PRACTICAL RESULTS OR MATERIAL
PROGRESS, BUT To A HIGHER DUTY, AND TO THE PUBLIC GOOD.
- 8 -
MANY YEARS AGO, ONE OF MY PREDECESSORS, A MAN
TRAINED AND ACCOMPLISHED IN THE SAME PROFESSION AS
YOURSELVES, FOUND HIMSELF FACING A CRISIS OF
CONVICTION. MANY AMERICANS HAD COME TO DOUBT THE VERY
FOUNDATIONS UPON WHICH THIS NATION WAS LAID.
IT WAS WIDELY SUGGESTED THAT THE EARLY SUCCESS OF
THE UNITED STATES WAS AN ACCIDENT OF NATURAL WEALTH.
- 9 -
PEOPLE SAID THAT THE SOPHISTICATED PROBLEMS OF MODERN
TIMES REQUIRED A RE-THINKING OF THE DEMOCRATIC
INSTITUTIONS OF OUR NATION'S YOUTH.
THE PRESIDENT WAS BURDENED BY A TROUBLING QUESTION:
Do THE FOUNDERS OF OUR NATION HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO
THE PRESENT DAY -- OR IS IT NECESSARY TO START OVER ON
A NEW BASIS?
- 10 -
THE MAN WAS THOMAS JEFFERSON. 11 THE OCCASION, HIS
INAUGURAL ADDRESS. AND THE RESPONSE HE MADE TO THAT
CRISIS IS AS FORCEFUL TODAY AS IT WAS IN HIS OWN AGE.
FOR JEFFERSON UNDERSTOOD THAT THE ESSENCE OF
AMERICA LIES NOT IN SHARED REAL ESTATE -- BUT IN SHARED
VALUES. NOT IN A COMMON ANCESTRY -- BUT IN A COMMON
VISION.
JEFFERSON SPOKE OF THE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES
OF FREE CITIZENS.
- 11 -
"EVERY DIFFERENCE OF OPINION," HE WARNED, "IS NOT A
DIFFERENCE OF PRINCIPLE."
AND HE SINGLED OUT ONE SUCH UNYIELDING PRINCIPLE AS
FUNDAMENTAL TO OUR CONTINUED LIFE AS A NATION -- "EQUAL
AND EXACT JUSTICE TO ALL MEN, OF WHATEVER STATE OR
PERSUASION, RELIGIOUS OR POLITICAL."
THE CHALLENGE THAT THOMAS JEFFERSON DELIVERED TO
HIS FELLOW CITIZENS, I DELIVER TO YOU THIS AFTERNOON.
- 12 -
I CHALLENGE YOU, AS CATHOLIC LAWYERS, NOT TO GIVE
IN TO THE DISMAY OF THOSE TODAY WHO, IN ERROR OR ALARM,
HAVE WANDERED FROM THE BASIC CONVICTIONS TO WHICH OUR
NATION IS PLEDGED. I CHALLENGE YOU TO REKINDLE AND
FOSTER A LOVE OF JUSTICE. AMERICAN JUSTICE. A JUSTICE
THAT KNOWS NO BOUNDARIES OF RACE, SEX, INCOME, OR AGE.
[[PAUSE]]
- 13 -
WE'RE ALL BORN WITH CERTAIN TALENTS AND ABILITIES,
AND PART OF GROWING UP CATHOLIC IN AMERICA IS BEING
REMINDED OF EACH PERSON'S OBLIGATION TO USE THE GIFTS
THAT GOD GAVE THEM.
PERHAPS SOME OF YOU SAW THIS AMAZING NOTRE DAME
SOPHOMORE LAST SATURDAY -- RAGHIB "ROCKET" ISMAIL. NOT
ONCE BUT TWICE HE RETURNED KICKOFFS FOR RECORD-BREAKING
TOUCHDOWNS -- THE BEST USE OF SPEED SINCE CHUCK YEAGER
BROKE THE SOUND BARRIER.
- 14 -
WELL, AS LAWYERS, AS ADVOCATES, PART OF YOUR TASK
IS To USE YOUR TALENTS -- TO SPEAK FOR THOSE UNABLE TO
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
I CHALLENGE YOU To RE-ARTICULATE THOSE PRINCIPLES
THAT ARE DEEPER THAN OUR DIFFERENCES. THE PRINCIPLES
OF EQUAL AND EXACT JUSTICE, AND THAT VISION OF FREE AND
RESPONSIBLE CITIZENSHIP WHICH FORMS OUR COMMON
HERITAGE.
- 15 -
Now, WE MAY BE PREACHING TO THE CONVERTED. NONE OF
THE JUDGES I'VE SPOKEN TO EVER COMPLAINED OF DIFFICULTY
IN GETTING A GROUP OF BOSTON LAWYERS TO SPEAK THEIR
MINDS. [[PAUSE]]
AND IT'S CLEAR YOU APPRECIATE THE POWER OF
COMMUNICATION. WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THE ARCHDIOCESE'S NEW
T.V. RECRUITING ADS. [[PAUSE]] IT WAS CARDINAL LAW
WHO SAID: "IF HE WERE HERE TODAY, SAINT PAUL WOULD BE
ON MADISON AVENUE." [[PAUSE]]
- 16 -
EVERYONE HERE IS UNIQUELY SUITED FOR THE TASK. BY
VIRTUE OF YOUR PROFESSION AND YOUR FAITH, YOU ARE ALIVE
TO THE FACT THAT -- IF WE ARE INDEED "ONE NATION, UNDER
GOD" -- THEN OUR RESPONSIBILITIES DO NOT END WITH
SIMPLY OBEYING THE LAW. WE MUST ACTIVELY WORK TO
EXTEND PEACE, LIBERTY AND SAFETY TO ALL OUR FELLOW
CITIZENS.
- 17 -
As SAINT AUGUSTINE SAID: "WHILE LAW MAKES US
OBEDIENT TO JUSTICE, GoD... MAKES US AGENTS OF JUSTICE,
DOERS OF JUSTICE, CREATORS OF JUSTICE." II
I CHALLENGE YOU, AS MEN AND WOMEN OF FAITH, TO GIVE
VOICE TO THIS JUSTICE. Do IT PROUDLY, WITH THE COURAGE
OF CONVICTION. AND CARRY JUSTICE TO ALL OUR
CITIZENS -- ESPECIALLY TO THOSE WHO KNOW IT LEAST.
- 18 -
WE MUST DEVOTE SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE PROBLEMS OF
THOSE ON THE MARGINS, THOSE LACKING ADEQUATE FOOD OR
SHELTER, THOSE ADDICTED OR MENTALLY ILL, THOSE WHOSE
NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE BEEN DECIMATED BY CRIME.
WE MUST REMEMBER THE UNREMEMBERED. PROTECT THE
UNPROTECTED. AND STAND UP FOR THOSE WHO LIVE IN A WORLD
OF PAIN: THE HUNGRY AND THE HOMELESS, THE HAUNTED AND
THE HURTING.
- 19 -
IT'S NOT ENOUGH TO GIVE THEM JUSTICE. WE MUST ALSO
GIVE THEM HOPE.
PART OF THIS EFFORT BELONGS IN THE COURTROOM, WHERE
PROSECUTORS AND JUDGES FIGHT TO PRESERVE JUSTICE, AND
WHERE PRIVATE ATTORNEYS PERFORM UNTOLD GOOD THROUGH PRO
BONO [[PRO BONE-OH]] EFFORTS.
CONSIDER, FOR EXAMPLE, "OPERATION UPLIFT," BEGUN BY
LAWYERS IN MINNEAPOLIS AND NOW SPREADING ACROSS THE
COUNTRY.
- 20 -
ITS PREMISE IS SIMPLE. WHEN AN ATTORNEY REPRESENTS
A CLIENT PRO BONO, THE CLIENT IS ASKED TO DO VOLUNTEER
WORK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OR COMMUNITY, PLEDGING ONE
HOUR OF SERVICE FOR EVERY HOUR THE ATTORNEY SPENDS
WORKING ON THEIR CASE. IT COSTS NOTHING, AND DOUBLES
THE GOOD DONE BY PRO BONO EFFORTS.
BUT ULTIMATELY, TO SUCCEED, THIS EFFORT CAN'T END
WITH THE WORKING DAY.
- 21 -
THE GRASSROOTS MOVEMENT WE'VE CALLED "A THOUSAND POINTS
OF LIGHT" MUST REACH OUT TO AMERICA'S HURTING WHERE
THEY ARE, IN THE CLASSROOM AS WELL AS THE COURTROOM,
AND IN CHURCH BASEMENTS, STREET CORNERS AND LONELY
APARTMENTS. THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS: FROM NOW ON IN
AMERICA, ANY DEFINITION OF A SUCCESSFUL LIFE MUST
INCLUDE SERVICE TO OTHERS.
- 22 -
THIS ROOM IS RICH WITH SHINING EXAMPLES OF GOOD MEN
AND WOMEN WHO HAVE DEVOTED THEIR LIVES TO SERVICE -- IN
PRIVATE, IN PUBLIC, AND IN THE PULPIT.
MAKE COMMUNITY SERVICE CENTRAL TO YOUR LIFE AND
WORK. SOMEWHERE, IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY, THERE IS AN
ILLITERATE MAN YEARNING FOR THE GIFT MOST OF YOU HAVE
ENJOYED SINCE CHILDHOOD -- THE ABILITY TO READ.
SOMEWHERE, IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY, THERE IS A
HOMELESS FAMILY THAT NEEDS FOOD, CLOTHING AND SHELTER.
- 23 -
AND SOMEWHERE, IN YOUR OWN COMMUNITY, THERE IS A
SCARED LITTLE BOY, TEMPTED TO BUY CRACK OR JOIN A GANG,
WHO NEEDS THE LOVE AND GUIDANCE OF A BIG BROTHER.
THERE ARE COUNTLESS UNMET NEEDS, COUNTLESS WAYS IN
WHICH YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THE BETTER.
- 24 -
FOR YOU WHO ARE SENIOR PARTNERS, I URGE YOU TO CONSIDER
COMMUNITY SERVICE BY YOUR ASSOCIATES IN HIRING AND
PROMOTION DECISIONS.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, LET IT BE SAID ABOUT YOU
THAT -- MORE THAN YOUR RECORD IN COURT OR THE HOURS
YOU'VE BILLED -- THIS WAS THE WAY IN WHICH YOU TOUCHED
THE LIFE OF SOMEONE IN NEED.
- 25 -
FINALLY, WITH PARTICULAR CONCERN, WE CHALLENGE YOU
TO EVEN GREATER EFFORTS TOWARD THE PROTECTION OF HUMAN
LIFE. [[PAUSE]] USE YOUR TALENTS, YOUR ENERGY, AND
YOUR PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES TO REAFFIRM THE RIGHT TO
LIFE AS THE MOST FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOM.
THE JEFFERSONIAN VISION OF JUSTICE -- OF PEACE,
LIBERTY AND SAFETY FOR ALL -- HAS PERMEATED OUR
AMERICAN UNDERSTANDING OF RIGHTS, OF RESPONSIBILITIES,
OF LIFE ITSELF.
- 26 -
IT IS EVIDENT IN ONE OF OUR SYMBOLS, THE AMERICAN FLAG,
BUT I WANT TO LOOK AT SOMETHING EVEN MORE COMMON THAN
THE FLAG -- A SINGLE DIME.
THERE ARE THREE EMBLEMS ON THE BACK OF A DIME. AN
OLIVE BRANCH, A TORCH, AND THE LIMB OF AN OAK.
THE OLIVE BRANCH SYMBOLIZES OUR LONGING FOR PEACE,
OUR WILLINGNESS TO LIVE BY RIGHTEOUSNESS, NOT SIMPLY BY
MILITARY MIGHT. NEXT TO THE OLIVE BRANCH IS A TORCH,
THE LAMP OF LIBERTY.
- 27 -
AND BESIDE THE TORCH LIES THE OAK, THE SYMBOL OF
SAFETY, OF SECURITY, AND OF THE STRENGTH WHICH
GUARANTEES THEM.
FINALLY, IN THE MIDST OF THE THREE READS THE MoTTo,
"E PLURIBUS UNUM." "FROM THE MANY, ONE. " WE ARE A
DIVERSE PEOPLE, WITH MANY BACKGROUNDS, MANY CHALLENGES,
AND MANY HOPES.
- 28 -
I CALL UPON YOU TODAY, THE GUILD OF CATHOLIC
LAWYERS, TO GIVE VOICE TO THE CONSENSUS, THE ONENESS OF
VALUES WHICH LIVES BENEATH THE DIVERSITY. I CALL UPON
YOU, AS AGENTS AND CREATORS OF JUSTICE, TO HELP US
BRING ABOUT THE PEACE, LIBERTY AND SAFETY WE SEEK FOR
EVERY HUMAN BEING.
GOD BLESS YOU, AND GOD BLESS THE UNITED STATES.
HANK YOU.
###
Petersmeyer
movement
6
But to succeed, this effort can't end with the working day.
The grassroots campaign we've called "A Thousand Points of Light"
must reach out to America's hurting where they are, in the
classroom as well as the courtroom, and in church basements,
street corners and lonely apartments. The bottom line is this:
From now on in America, any definition of a successful life must
include service to others.
This room is rich with shining examples of good men and
women who have devoted their lives to service -- in private, in
public, and in the pulpit. And it does inspire.
We hear of one public-spirited volunteer who has this
thrializes
recurring nightmare. He is standing in line before the gates of
service
Heaven, just a few persons behind the Pope. Up ahead, St Peter
is slowly shaking his head, and says to the Holy Father: "Now if
only you had performed just a few more good deeds " [[PAUSE]]
In all these volunteer efforts, there must be priorities. I
am especially concerned that we protect the most defenseless
among us, our children. We urge you today to speak out on behalf
of our kids. Not as the agenda of yet another special interest
group, but as part of our American birthright ?
Finally, with particular concern, we challenge you to even
greater efforts toward the protection of human life at its most
fragile, life in the womb. [[PAUSE]] Use your talents, your
energy, and your professional resources to reaffirm the right to
life as the most fundamental freedom.
Your contribution to this cause in recent years has been
A
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People who will be seated at the Head table are as follows:
President and Mrs. Bush
Governor and Mrs. John Sununu
Cardinal Law
Bishop Robert J. Banks
Auxiliary Bishop of Boston, Vicar General
Bishop Lawrence J. Reily
Auxiliary Bishop of Boston
Bishop Daniel A. Cronin
Msgr. Timothy J. Moran
Cabinet Secretary of the Archdiose of Boston
Fr. Dennis Burns
Chaplain of Catholic Lawyers Guild
Judge and Mrs. Joseph Nolan
President of Catholic Lawyers Guild
Mr. and Mrs. Wilson D. Roger, Jr.
General Counsel of Catholic Lawyers Guild
Chief Justice Liacof
[[
Supreme Court of Boston
Gov. Michael Dukakis
MA
Jud
Document No. 074450
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE:
09/20/89
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
11:00 a.m. Thursday 09/21
SUBJECT:
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: CATHOLIC LAWYERS' GUILD LUNCHEON
(09/20 draft three)
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATESNIC phone
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ROGERS
CARD
PINKERTON
CICCONI
WINSTON
DEMAREST
PETERSMEYER
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please provide any comments/recommendations directly to Chriss
Winston by 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, 09/21, with a copy to my
office. Thanks.
RESPONSE:
89 SEP 21 A9: 25
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
(Grant/McNally/Martin)
September 20, 1989
Draft Three (B:RED)
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: CATHOLIC LAWYERS. GUILD LUNCHEON
P8: 36
PARK PLAZA HOTEL
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1989
[[ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS]]
For those of you in the back of the room, I'll try to speak
up. [[PAUSE] Cardinal Law warned me that the agnostics in this
room are very bad.
We've enjoyed visits by the Cardinal to both Kennebunkport
and the White House in recent months, and we were happy to accept
when he conveyed your kind invitation to lunch. I told my staff
to set it up for any Saturday this fall -- so long as Holy Cross
wasn't playing B.C. [[BOSTON COLLEGE] [[PAUSE]]
One aide noticed that "Red, Mass. " was on the trip schedule.
He pulled out a map and asked: "Is that anywhere near Boston?"
[[PAUSE]]
Harvard's
This is quite a gathering. I hear Arthur Miller [[HARVARD
LAW SCHOOL'S TV LAWYER] ] told one TV show that there hasn't been
so much legal talent assembled in one room in Boston since the
time he played solitaire. [[PAUSE]]
We're pleased Governor Sununu is here with us today. Like
many young Catholics, as a boy John dreamed of one day becoming
Pope. It was only after having eight kids that we got him to
settle for Chief of Staff. [[PAUSE]]
2
Today marks the first day of autumn.
It is a season of
change, a season of harvest, a season of hope. And it is with
great respect and reverence that I come to you this day, the day
of the Red Mass, a stirring and deeply spiritual tradition.
Today and tomorrow, men and women of the bar will join in
solemn prayer, across America and around the world, gathering
wherever civilization has been graced with the twin blessings of
rule of law and faith in God.
The ancient roots of the Red Mass are so intertwined with
the earliest days of the law that its precise origins are, quite
literally, lost in time.
Some say this beautiful and inspiring ritual was first
observed in 13th century Rome. Others say it began in King
Edward's London, beneath the gothic arches of the Inns of Court.
Still others support the theory that it began in Paris.
Wherever the Red Mass was first observed, we can be sure of
one thing. A tradition that spans seven centuries was started
when one man with an idea -- one lawyer, or one priest -- stepped
forward to act with conviction.
The Red Mass is a celebration and a renewal, a reminder to
every lawyer and judge -- Catholic or Jew, Protestant or Moslem
-- that yours is a profession dedicated not merely to practical
results or material progress, but to a higher duty, and to the
public good.
Many years ago, one of my predecessors, a man trained and
accomplished in the same profession as yourselves, found himself
3
facing a crisis of conviction. Many Americans had come to doubt
the very foundations upon which this nation was laid.
It was widely suggested that the early success of the United
States was an accident of natural wealth. People said that the
sophisticated problems of modern times required a re-thinking of
the democratic institutions of our nation's youth.
was burdened by
The President saw himself saddled with a troubling question:
"Do the founders of our nation have anything to say to the
present day -- or is it necessary to start over on a new basis?"
The man was Thomas Jefferson. The occasion, his inaugural
address. And the response he made to that crisis is as forceful
today as it was in his own age.
For Jefferson understood that the essence of America lies
not in shared real estate -- but in shared values. Not in a
common ancestry -- but in a common vision.
Jefferson spoke of the rights and responsibilities of free
citizens. "Every difference of opinion," he warned, "is not a
difference of principle."
And he singled out one such unyielding principle as
fundamental to our continued life as a nation -- "equal and exact
justice to all men, of whatever state or persuasion, religious or
political. "
The challenge that Thomas Jefferson delivered to his fellow
citizens, I deliver to you this afternoon.
I challenge you, as Catholic lawyers, not to give in to the
dismay of those today who, in error or alarm, have wandered from
4
the basic convictions to which our nation is pledged. I
and foster
challenge you to recover and rekindle a love of justice.
American justice. A justice that knows no boundaries of race,
sex, income, or age. [[PAUSE]]
We're all born with certain talents and abilities, and part
of growing up Catholic in America is being reminded of each
person's obligation to use the gifts that God gave them.
Perhaps some of you saw this amazing Notre Dame sophomore
last Saturday -- Raghib "Rocket" Ismail. Not once but twice he
returned kickoffs for record-breaking touchdowns -- the best use
of speed since Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier.
Well, as lawyers, as advocates, part of your task is to use
your talents -- to speak for those unable to speak for
themselves.
I challenge you to re-articulate those principles that are
deeper than our differences. Give voice to voiceless America.
?
The
Give voice to the American consensus: those principles of equal
and exact justice, and that vision of free and responsible
which
citizenship that form our common heritage.
Now, we may be preaching to the converted. None of the
judges I've spoken to ever. complained of difficulty in getting a
group of Boston lawyers to speak their minds. [[PAUSE]]
And it's clear you appreciate the power of communication.
We've heard about the archydiocese's new T.V. recruiting ads.
[[PAUSE]] It was Cardinal Law who said: "If he were here today,
Saint Paul would be on Madison Avenue." [[PAUSE]]
5
Still everyone here is uniquely suited for the task. By
virtue of your profession and your faith, you are alive to the
fact that -- if we are indeed "one nation, under God" -- then our
responsibilities do not end with simply obeying the law. We must
actively work to extend peace, liberty and safety to all our
fellow citizens.
SP'.
As Saint Augustine said: "While law makes us obedient to
justice, God... makes us agents of justice, doers of justice,
creators of justice."
I challenge you, as men and women of faith, to give voice to
this justice. Do it proudly, with the courage of conviction.
And carry justice to all our citizens -- especially to those who
know it least.
We must devote special attention to the problems of those on
the margins, those lacking adequate food or shelter, those
addicted or mentally ill, those whose neighborhoods have been
decimated by crime.
We must remember the unremembered. Protect the unprotected.
a
And stand up for those who live in this world of pain: The
hungry and the homeless, the haunted and the hurting.
It's not enough to give them justice. We must also give
them hope.
Part of this effort belongs in the courtroom, where
presorve justee ?
prosecutors and judges fight to protect the innocent, and where
private attorneys perform untold good through pro bono efforts.
6
But to succeed, this effort can't end with the working day.
movement
The grassroots campaign we've called "A Thousand Points of Light"
must reach out to America's hurting where they are, in the
classroom as well as the courtroom, and in church basements,
street corners and lonely apartments. The bottom line is this:
From now on in America, any definition of a successful life must
include service to others.
This room is rich with shining examples of good men and
women who have devoted their lives to service -- in private, in
public, and in the pulpit. And it does inspire.
most
We hear of one public-spirited volunteer who has this
recurring nightmare. He is standing in line before the gates of
Heaven, just a few persons behind the Pope. Up ahead, St. Peter
is slowly shaking his head, and says to the Holy Father: "Now if
only you had performed just a few more good deeds " [[PAUSE]]
In all these volunteer efforts, there must be priorities. I
am especially concerned that we protect the most defenseless
among us, our children. We urge you today to speak out on behalf
of our kids. Not as the agenda of yet another special interest
group, but as part of our American birthright.
Finally, with particular concern, we challenge you to even
greater efforts toward the protection of human life at its most
fragile, life in the womb. [[PAUSE]] Use your talents, your
energy, and your professional resources to reaffirm the right to
life as the most fundamental freedom.
Your contribution to this cause in recent years has been
7
very great indeed. Progress has been made, but it is clear that
there is much more work to be done.
The Jeffersonian vision of justice -- of peace, liberty and
safety for all -- has permeated our American understanding of
rights, of responsibilities, of life itself. It is evident in
one of our symbols, the American flag, but I want to look at
common
something more ordinary than the flag -- a single dime. [[It is
more easily carried than a flag, although as many of your
profession know particularly well, it is not as flammable. ]]
There are three emblems on the back of a dime. An olive
branch, a torch, and the limb of an oak.
The olive branch symbolizes our longing for peace, our
willingness to live by righteousness, not simply by military
might. Next to the olive branch is a torch, the lamp of liberty.
And beside the torch lies the oak, the symbol of safety, of
security, and of the strength which guarantees them.
Finally, in the midst of the three reads the motto, "E
Pluribus Unum." "From the many, one." We are a diverse people,
with many backgrounds, many challenges, and many hopes.
I call upon you today, the Guild of Catholic Lawyers, to
give voice to the consensus, the oneness of values which lives
beneath the diversity. I call upon you, as agents and creators
of justice, to help us bring about the peace, liberty and safety
we seek for every human being.
God bless you, and God bless the United States. Thank you.
###
OPERATION UPLIFT
When Marcy Ellert asked Minne-
Operation Uplift's premise is sim-
themselves and ask what they can do
apolis attorney Donald Horton how
ple. When an attorney decides to repre-
to help others. We uplift them and they
much she owed him for an hour's
sent a client who cannot afford legal
are encouraged to uplift others. We can
worth of advice, he winced. "She was
representation, the client is asked to do
get a lot done as that attitude
the daughter of a friend of mine and a
volunteer work in his or her neigh-
spreads," said Horton.
student so I didn't want to charge her
borhood or community. Clients are
Horton admits that Operation
at all. Besides, it's a pain in the neck
asked to sign Operation Uplift
Uplift may not work in every situation,
to open a file for billing a small
Agreements in which they promise to
but if he has his way, the opportunity
amount of time. Yet she wanted to pay
volunteer their services for the same
to do volunteer service for the benefit
something so I told her to go down to
number of hours as their attorney
of the community will be offered to
the food shelf in her neighborhood
spends working on their cases. Each
clients who cannot afford to pay for
and volunteer her time for an hour
month the attorney sends the client a
attorneys.
since that's how long I worked for,"
letter telling how much time was spent
For more information about
said Horton.
on the case. Clients then do volunteer
Operation Uplift and copies of a sam-
Horton says he never expected
work in the community for the same
ple letter and agreement to pro bono
what happened next. "She came back
number of hours. Clients can help
clients, contact Mary L. Wilson at
to my office two weeks later and told
neighbors or community groups such
1-800-662-7407. NC. Chapter
me that she had spent three hours
as food shelves, or they can serve
helping at the food shelf and intended
others through their place of worship.
Article contributed by Tammy Provo,
to go back again. She said that what I
When the volunteer work is completed,
a second-year law student at the William
had done had changed her views about
clients write the attorney a letter telling
Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul,
volunteering and lawyers for the
that they have finished the work.
Minnesota.
better."
If clients do not perform the
This simple exchange started
volunteers services there are no conse-
Horton thinking that there may be
quences. According to Horton, "The
others who would be interested in do-
important thing is that many clients
Death Penalty
ing volunteer or community service
will live up to the agreement and, na-
Volunteers Recognized
work in exchange for legal services. "I
tionally, a tremendous number of peo-
From page 1
talked with other attorneys who do pro
ple will be helped by the ripple effort
bono and they told me that often their
of Operation Uplift." There is no
The creation of the Death Penalty
clients want to do something for them.
minimum number of Operation Uplift
Resource Center represents a collective
Of course, none of the attorneys would
clients which a lawyer must accept,
effort of concerned lawyers and
accept anything, but they all said that
and pro bono clients do not have to
members of North Carolina's judiciary
they thought allowing clients to
participate. It's recommended, says
to create an organization responsible
"square the account" by volunteering
Horton, but always a matter of free
for recruiting competent volunteer
to help others would give many clients
choice.
lawyers to represent indigent death-
a sense of dignity that they might not
According to Horton, Operation
sentenced inmates on collateral appeals
otherwise feel." According to Horton
Uplift Agreements, sample letters and
of their convictions and sentences.
that's when he decided to establish
instruction sheets have been sent to all
Also, DPRC provides a central source
Operation Uplift.
50 state bar associations and the
of technical assistance for attorneys
American Bar Association. He's hop-
statewide who are involved in death
ing that the bar association will
penalty representation.
distribute the materials free to lawyers
For more information on the ban-
who are interested.
quet, how you can become a volunteer
IOLTA
Horton, who recently restricted
with DPRC or how you can get
his practice in order to return to
technical assistance in representing in-
graduate school to pursue his Ph.D. in
dividuals sentenced to death or charged
counseling psychology, was asked how
with capital crimes, contact Robert S.
The North Carolina Bar Asso-
he chose the name Operation Uplift.
Mahler, Director of DPRC, or Toni
ciation Volunteer Lawyers Pro-
"I believe that when you take the time
Carter, Administrative Assistant, at
grams are supported in part by
to help or lift-up someone, you are af-
(919) 733-9490.
IOLTA funds.
firming their intrinsic worth as human
beings. The message we want to send
to people is not only that they are
worth helping, but that they have
something to give others. Operation
Uplift asks people to look at
Volunteer Lawyers Program - Monthly NCBA Volunteer Update, Oct.
1989
Document No. 074450
WHITE HOUSE STAFFING MEMORANDUM
DATE: 09/20/89
ACTION/CONCURRENCE/COMMENT DUE BY:
11:00 a.m. Thursday 09/21
SUBJECT: PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS: CATHOLIC LAWYERS' GUILD LUNCHEON
(09/20 draft three)
ACTION FYI
ACTION FYI
VICE PRESIDENT
MCCLURE
SUNUNU
NEWMAN
SCOWCROFT
PORTER
DARMAN
STUDDERT
BATES
UNTERMEYER
BREEDEN
ROGERS
CARD
PINKERTON
CICCONI
WINSTON
DEMAREST
PETERSMEYER
FITZWATER
GRAY
HAGIN
REMARKS:
Please provide any comments/recommendations directly to Chriss
Winston by 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, 09/21, with a copy to my
office. Thanks.
RESPONSE:
James W. Cicconi
Assistant to the President
and Deputy to the Chief of Staff
Ext. 2702
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
Date: 9/21/89
TO: Chrics Winston
FROM:
CLARK KENT ERVIN Lick
Office of National Service
x6266
Action
Your Comment
Let's Talk
FYI
Attached are mr commits m the
Presidati" Red knin speech.
The Prevident carld site Operation
uplift (see attached) in his
spect as on example of what
Cathalic lamger caned do.