Blue Mass for first Responders, Police Officers, Fire Fighters, EMTs, and Sheriff Personnel

Introduction:

     We welcome all of you to our prayer service this evening.  Today’s prayer service is in the tradition of the Blue Mass, a special mass that has been celebrated in the Catholic Church for police officers and first responders.  The first Blue Mass was celebrated on September 29, 1934 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Washington, DC by Rev. Thomas Dade, who had founded the Catholic Police and Firemen's Society.  On that day, 1,100 police officers and firemen dressed in their blue uniforms processed into St. Patrick's to honor the fallen members of their ranks.

     The Blue Mass spread to other cities in United States from that day on.  Following the events of 9/11, the Blue Mass began to be celebrated in cities from coast to coast to honor the many law enforcement officers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel who gave their lives so that others might live.  

     We at St Jude are very glad to be teaming up with our friends at McLauren Heights Methodist Church to honor and pray for these men and women today.  Let us pray:

Lord, we come to you as your children this evening 

to pray for those who serve in our community and 

who keep our community safe.  

We invoke your presence this evening as we 

send up our prayers in the name of your son Jesus Christ, 

our Lord for ever and ever.  Amen. 

BLESSING:

Today, we gather as Christians from Pearl and from all of Rankin County to pray for our police officer, our sheriffs, our EMTs, our fire fighters, and all of our first responders.  With gratitude, we thank all these men and women who serve our community for their service and for all of the sacrifices they make.  We pray for an end to terrorism, war, oppression, and violence.  We pray for an end to anger, hatred, arrogance, and all those things that divide our community.  Our gratitude, love, and prayers go out to all these men and women who protect us and serve us each day.  May your patron Saint, Michael the Archangel, be with you always to watch over you, to lead you and guide you.  May the Lord bless you and your families - in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.