ROCKFORD—Bishop David Malloy expressed his thanks to police and fire department personnel at a Blue Mass on May 11 at the Cathedral of St. Peter.
He said the event was “a little like Mother’s Day” where people make special efforts to tell their mothers “Thank you.”
The Mass, he said, reminds everyone that similar thanks to these public servants “is not said often enough.”
The Blue Mass tradition, begun around 80 years ago in Baltimore, he said, is “not just to say thanks … but to go even further, with our prayers for you.”
The bishop said the event was also an opportunity to “be mindful of those that have fallen (in the line of duty) so the greatness of that sacrifice of service is not forgotten.”
He spoke of how the work of police officers and firefighters “is not just a job, not just a paycheck,” but instead require sacrifices.
“We take the opportunity today to pray for your safety … And may God give you also, prudence,” he said, commenting on the opportunities for the use of not only their professional training, “but your humanity, your intuition” in keeping peace and harmony and diffusing tense situations.
“We pray also for your spiritual life,” Bishop Malloy added, calling those prayers “a part of how we recognize we should be repaying” your service.
The bishop said he found a police officer’s prayer that calls on St. Michael the Archangel for assistance.
He pointed to St. Michael’s own task of restoring right order in the heavens.
Most of a fireman’s prayer that he also found prayed for people affected by fire, including “those who might be trapped … frightened,” he said.
The prayer concluded mentioning the firefighter, asking, “If today I do not return,” that God would care for his (or) her family.
"It was a prayer directed toward others," the bishop said.
After thanking the uniformed men and women again for the sacrifices they make in their work, Bishop Malloy assured them that, “You are in our prayers, not just today, but always.”
He also expressed his gratitude to the community leaders in attendance, to parishioners and others from the community who came to pray for those who provide such important service to society.