Father Sebastian Walshe
Originally from Pasadena, Fr. Sebastian Walshe is a Norbertine Canon of the Abbey of St. Michael in the Diocese of Orange, California, where he is a professor of philosophy for the seminary program. After completing his studies at Thomas Aquinas College in California, he continued studies at The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C., receiving a license in Philosophy. Later, he attended the Pontifical University of St. Thomas at Rome (the Angelicum) where he received a Masters in Sacred Theology and a Doctorate in Philosophy. His thesis was entitled: “The Primacy of the Common Good as the Root of Personal Dignity in the Doctrine of St. Thomas Aquinas.” From 2003-2005, Fr. Sebastian was also a visiting professor in the Philosophy Department at the Angelicum. He is also the author of several books and is a frequent guest on Catholic Answers Live.
Letter from our Chaplain
The St. Thomas More Society is an association of Catholic Judges and lawyers who take as their model the life of St. Thomas More, himself a lawyer. The Catholic Church has always insisted upon the importance of good and just laws, and good and just men who interpret and uphold those laws. These laws are not merely a matter of human invention; rather, they are a fundamental expression of the divine will and goodness.
When God makes himself known through divine revelation, the divine law is an important and essential part of that revelation. At first, the divine law was partial and so served as a kind of preparation for the new law promulgated by Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son. This new law reveals God’s plan for the common good of His creation and reflects the love in God’s heart for us. So greatly did God esteem law, that when he became a man, he subjected himself to both divine and human law.
So we can see how important it is that good men become lawyers and judges so that justice and peace may flourish in every nation, and so that all might partake in God’s own goodness. It is for this purpose that the St. Thomas More Society exists.
The role of judges and lawyers in society is essential for the flourishing of that society. The St. Thomas More Society assists judges and lawyers to contribute to the common good of our society by contributing the riches of the Catholic faith to the legal profession. We invite all Catholic judges and lawyers in Orange County to get involved in the St. Thomas More Society of Orange County. May God bless you!