Dear Friends in Christ,
On September 29th at 10:30 AM, our parish will host the annual Blue Mass which celebrates the blessing of our men and women who serve as police officers, fire fighters and first responders. We will ask God’s protection upon our men and women who currently serve, we give thanks for those who have retired, and we pray for all those who we lost in the past year whether in the line of duty or through natural causes. Bishop Williams will celebrate this Mass, and I want you to know that everyone is welcome. Many children will come from our schools across the diocese, and we especially invite children of police officers and their family members. This is a moving Mass for me every year since I am the son of a police officer. No one understands what it is like to have one’s father, mother, brother, sister, son, daughter or friend put their lives on the line. Growing up in the 70’s, we had to leave our house for a short time after our dog was poisoned, I was collected after school by a police car, our social life was with other police families and my father suffered injuries his whole life from being thrown through a window. I can shoot a gun, still prefer to look out from one’s table at a restaurant rather than have my back to the door and no matter where I am, I always look for my escape route. It is the way we grew up. I could not be prouder that my father was a police officer, a detective and a professor who taught crime scene investigation. Pray for our men and women who are only a call away. When you see a police car, a fire truck or an ambulance ask for God’s blessing upon them. I say a prayer whenever I hear a siren. So, if you are able, come out and honor our brave men and women on September 29th. John 15:12 has our Lord saying, “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” Our officers are willing and they should be blessed for their great generosity. An Officer Hannah Rivera once said, “The badge means service before self, even when it’s inconvenient.” Thank you to all our protectors and first responders; we can never truly express our gratitude, and we ask God’ protection upon you and the prayers of Saint Michael, your patron.
God bless you,
Father Szolack