The first Blue Mass at Saint Gianna Beretta Molla Parish will take place on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 11 a.m. The Mass will honor local EMS, fire and law enforcement departments of all faiths who live and work in the area (State Police, Northfield, Linwood, Somers Point, and neighboring cities).
Msgr. Robert J. Romano, chaplain of the New York City Police Department, will be the homilist.
Msgr. Romano has served as pastor of two churches in Brooklyn. In 1998 he was appointed chaplain of the New York City Police Department.
He received Departmental Honors in May 1999 for “Excellent Police Duty.” In March 2001 he was designated the administrative chaplain of the department and in August of 2002 he was promoted to Deputy Chief Chaplain of the NYPD. This was the first time in the history of the department that a chaplain was promoted to chief.
Msgr. Romano is also the official chaplain of the New York City Office of Emergency Management, the New York City Sheriff’s Office and the New York City Taxi and Limousine Commission. He is chaplain of the Port Authority of N.Y. and N.J. Police Department and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Police Department. He also finds time to be the chaplain of many religious, fraternal and law enforcement organizations.
During the tragedy of September 11, 2001, Monsignor was involved at Ground Zero on a daily basis, ministering to the needs of police officers. He celebrated Mass every Sunday at Ground Zero for the members of the Police Department’s Emergency Service Unit and the families of the fallen heroes.
He is also responsible for implementing the Clergy Crisis Responder Program which trained and credentialed local clergy in New York City to respond to major tragedies. This group was mobilized only two months later on Nov. 12 when American Flight 587 crashed in Rockaway, Queens.