By Lisa Morales - Archbishop Curley Notre Dame HS
Photographer: MARLENE QUARONI | Florida Catholic Newspaper
Archbishop Thomas Wenski and his former altar server Adalberto Jordan, now a judge on the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals, pose for a photo after the Archdiocese of Miami Red Mass reception held in June 2012, where Jordan received the "Lex Christi, Lex Amoris" award from the Miami Catholic Lawyers Guild.
Also known as the Lawyers' Mass, the term Red Mass refers to the red vestments worn by the celebrants to signify the Holy Spirit, where participants pray for wisdom as they endeavor to seek justice. The celebration was first held in the United States in 1928.
Judge Jordan, the first Cuban-born judge to serve on the Atlanta-based U.S. appellate court, was nominated by President Obama Aug. 2, 2011 and confirmed by the Senate Feb. 15, 2012 by an overwhelming 94-5 vote.
Last year's law symposium facilitator, John De Leon (who graduated from Archbishop Curley in 1980) suggested that his former high school friend and professional colleague lead this year's event. De Leon is managing shareholder of the Law Offices of Chavez & De Leon, P.A. and president of the American Civil Liberties Union, Greater Miami Chapter.
Past facilitators (all Archbishop Curley High School and Notre Dame Academy alumni) were:
- 2012 John De Leon, Curley class of 1980;
- 2011- Honorable Cecilia Maria Altonaga, J.D., Notre Dame class of 1980, federal judge, Southern District of Florida;
- 2010 - Honorable Beatrice Avgherino Butchko, J.D. , Notre Dame class of 1981, 11th Judicial Circuit of Florida;
- 2009 - Dennis Ward, Esq., Curley class of 1969, Monroe County State Attorney;
- 2008 - Thomas Valerius, Esq., Curley class of 1958, defense attorney;
- 2007 - Edward ODonnell, Esq., Curley class of 1962, defense attorney; and
- 2006 - Honorable Rosemary Barkett, J.D. , Notre Dame class of 1957, United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit.
About Judge Adalberto Jose Jordan (cited from the University of Miami Law Review):
Judge Jordan left Havana with his family in the late 1960s, and began one of the most remarkable Cuban-American success stories in Miami history. In the course of a few decades, Judge Jordan went from an immigrant child to top-of-his-class student at Miami Law (and a UMLR member) to highly respected attorney to federal judge.
Judge Jordan began his US education at Santa Clara Elementary School in Allapattah, but his parents later transferred him to Corpus Christi Catholic School.
At Corpus Christi, Judge Jordan met his future wife, Esther, in the second grade. He calls it love at first sight. Judge Jordan and Esther recall how many life-long friends he made at Corpus Christi and, for the past 20 years, Judge Jordan and his group of friends get together every Thanksgiving and play softball.
In fact, Judge Jordan's love of sports pre-dates his passion for the law. Judge Jordan began playing varsity baseball at Archbishop Curley High School. After his junior year of high school, though, Judge Jordan transferred to St. Brendan High solely because Curley closed down its baseball program.
As an undergraduate at the University of Miami, Judge Jordan pursued his two passions at the time - baseball and the law. UM gave Judge Jordan an academic scholarship and a walk-on position on the school's baseball team. On the academic front, Judge Jordan took as much law as he could, studying constitutional and environmental law. Judge Jordan graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's in politics and public affairs, and a minor in philosophy.
Judge Jordan went on to UM Law, and excelled despite juggling school and a part-time job at Sun Bank, fixing ATMs that broke after-hours in the Coral Gables-South Miami area. After a semester of juggling work and school, Judge Jordan and Esther married and went on their honeymoon during the law school's winter break. Appropriately enough, the newlyweds had their honeymoon in Washington D.C.
Judge Jordan left Havana with his family in the late 1960s, and began one of the most remarkable Cuban-American success stories in Miami history. In the course of a few decades, Judge Jordan went from an immigrant child to top-of-his-class student at Miami Law (and a UMLR member) to highly respected attorney to federal judge.
Judge Jordan began his US education at Santa Clara Elementary School in Allapattah, but his parents later transferred him to Corpus Christi Catholic School.
At Corpus Christi, Judge Jordan met his future wife, Esther, in the second grade. He calls it love at first sight. Judge Jordan and Esther recall how many life-long friends he made at Corpus Christi and, for the past 20 years, Judge Jordan and his group of friends get together every Thanksgiving and play softball.
In fact, Judge Jordan's love of sports pre-dates his passion for the law. Judge Jordan began playing varsity baseball at Archbishop Curley High School. After his junior year of high school, though, Judge Jordan transferred to St. Brendan High solely because Curley closed down its baseball program.
As an undergraduate at the University of Miami, Judge Jordan pursued his two passions at the time - baseball and the law. UM gave Judge Jordan an academic scholarship and a walk-on position on the school's baseball team. On the academic front, Judge Jordan took as much law as he could, studying constitutional and environmental law. Judge Jordan graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's in politics and public affairs, and a minor in philosophy.
Judge Jordan went on to UM Law, and excelled despite juggling school and a part-time job at Sun Bank, fixing ATMs that broke after-hours in the Coral Gables-South Miami area. After a semester of juggling work and school, Judge Jordan and Esther married and went on their honeymoon during the law school's winter break. Appropriately enough, the newlyweds had their honeymoon in Washington D.C.
