The Rt. Hon. Dominic Grieve KC will speak to us on Tuesday, 2 June 2026, on the subject of his recent work for the Government on anti-Muslim hatred. This topic raises questions of religious identity, discrimination and freedom of speech, of obvious interest to Catholic lawyers, judges and jurists. Mr Grieve KC’s talk will be followed by drinks and canapés until about 9pm. Dominic Grieve KC was MP for Beaconsfield from 1997 to 2019 and served as Shadow Home Secretary and then as Attorney General from 2010 to 2014. He was Chair of the Intelligence and Security Committee from 2015 to 2019.
This popular event takes place near the feast day of St Thomas More and St John Fisher. The Summer Reception is a fantastic opportunity for society members and their guests to enjoy a relaxing social evening. For many years Charles Russell Speechlys have hosted the summer reception on their stunning roof terrace.
A centuries-old tradition, the Red Mass is a votive Mass of the Holy Spirit offered on the first day of the new legal year each October in Westminster Cathedral with music from the world-famous choir. Before the Reformation, the Red Mass took place at Westminster Abbey. It revived in 1893 and eventually moved to the Cathedral. Other common law jurisdictions adopted the Red Mass tradition, notably the United States of America, where the President attends. Judges, counsel and solicitors attend in court dress. The scarlet robes worn by High Court judges and the use of scarlet vestments for votive Masses of the Holy Spirit give the Red Mass its name.