Although an atheist group is protesting public prayer in the courtroom, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1 Wayne Mack’s first Prayer Breakfast and fundraiser was a phenomenal success, cementing the newly elected official’s strong support from the county.
Mack openly spoke to the nearly 800-strong audience about a situation he encountered since taking office.
Following a recent complaint from the Freedom From Religion Foundation, an atheist group, about Mack’s practice of opening his court with a prayer, Mack said his offices have been flooded by “hate” mail.
According to Mack, FFRF Staff Attorney Sam Grover posted letters to Mack on the group’s website asking him to stop all prayer in future court sessions. The group will also file a complaint with Austin’s State Commission on Judicial Conduct, Mack said.
“I have received volumes of hate e-mail, postal mail, phone calls, even Twitter tweets wishing me ill,” he said. “I had my (prayer breakfast) registration flooded with bogus sponsorships. Atheists have fabricated facts to suit their agendas and even used fabricated and imaginary events to create a complaint to file with the Texas Commission on Judicial conduct.”
Prior to the opening ceremony of Mack’s court, a bailiff informs all people in the courtroom of the rules and court proceedings. The bailiff also tells the courtroom that it is the tradition of the court, as a part of the opening ceremonies, to have a prayer offered by a Justice Court Chaplain, adding it is not a requirement to participate in the prayer. Those who do not want to participate are allowed to step outside the courtroom during the prayer.
The prayer is followed by the pledges to the U.S. and Texas flags.
Their decision to do so will not have any effect on the turnout of their business, Mack said.
“I established at the beginning of my service in office, the custom of having an opening ceremony to each court session, consisting of an opening prayer and the pledge to the flag,” Mack said.
Mack plans to continue his courtroom tradition, and also his chaplaincy program he began over the summer to minister to family members who have had a loved one die tragically. More than 60 pastors have volunteered to be on call when a car accident, drowning, suicide or other death has occurred.
Mack said about 75 percent of the death calls he receives, the people have no church family.
“They don’t know what to do. They don’t know who to get to speak at their family member’s funeral,” Mack said in a previous Courier article.
Since he took office, there have been over 5,100 new cases filed, 4,500 cases disposed of , over 450 civil trials, 201 evictions, more than 1,200 warrants issued and 104 death inquests as of Thursday.
“With all that activity across two offices, there has not been a single session of court where someone did not come up to me to compliment me on the proceedings, thank me for having the prayer and pledge as part of the opening ceremony,” Mack said.
Mack’s courtroom is not the only place where business is opened in prayer. The Montgomery County Commissioners Court, the City of Conroe and the Conroe Independent School District all say a Christian prayer before the meeting begins.
The United States Supreme Court just ruled May 5, 2014, 5-4 in favor of the Town of Greece that the town’s practice of beginning legislative sessions with prayers does not violate the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Two women argued that prayers by volunteer chaplains violated the constitution, according to Marc Davenport, spokesperson for Judge Mack.
“For those who ask what secular purpose the opening ceremonies provide, I say it brings specific focus on the proceedings at hand and the constitutional authority from which the proceedings are derived,” Mack said.
Attending the prayer breakfast Thursday morning were county elected judges, constables, and other elected officials, with a few candidates running for office, as well.
The keynote speaker was President George W. Bush impersonator John Morgan who had George W. Bush’s physical looks and voice. He entertained the audience with the former president’s mannerisms and speech patterns which had the crowd laughing.
“He had me in tears,” said Joe Haliti, owner of Joe’s Italian Restaurant.
“I was overwhelmed by the response that we received by the community and am very blessed and fortunate,” Mack said after the event.
Mack has worked for the county since 1986, and earned accolades, promotions and respect from his coworkers and community members. He was elected March 4, beating opponents Robert Walker and Kelley Smith by more than 1,500 votes.
