Twentieth annual diocesan Blue Mass set for Sept. 29

The annual diocesan Blue Mass has a long legacy of honoring South Jersey’s law enforcement officers and first responders.

But for the emergency response community, the Mass serves another purpose, too. 

“The community seeing us participate in Mass allows them to understand that we have a spiritual side, that it’s just not all business,” said Chief David Harkins of the Gloucester Township Police Department.

“Oftentimes, when we run into people, it’s because we’re there for an emergency,” he continued. “So for people to see us in a different light, in church in a prayerful condition, it really humanizes us. Community support is uplifting. It’s morale building, and it is something that’s critical for our resiliency so that we can continue to do our jobs in a positive way.” 

The 20th annual diocesan Blue Mass will be celebrated by Bishop Dennis Sullivan at 10:30 a.m. Sept. 29 in Saint Agnes Church, a worship site of Our Lady of Hope Parish, Blackwood. The Mass will be livestreamed on diocesan social media platforms, including youtube.com/CamdenDiocese. 

Among those serving at the Mass will be deacons of the Camden Diocese who are also police or first responders.

“Faith can be an integral part of your calling to be a law enforcement officer, firefighter or first responder — of those ministries of service — and that will be clear to you if you come to the Blue Mass,” said Harkins, who not only serves on the South Jersey Blue Mass Committee, but also as a deacon in Holy Child Parish, Runnemede.

During the Mass, the names of those who have died in the past year will be read, along with the solemn tolling of a bell. 

“Praying for the souls of those who have gone before us is a poignant time of the Mass,” Harkins said. “It reminds us not only of the risks we take, but the sacrifices that our families make.”

As such, the Mass is open to families of police, firefighters and EMS as well as the general public. Harkins said the emergency responder community is also looking forward to the return of having Catholic school children attend the Mass. Attendance last year was limited due to COVID-19 concerns. 

“The students see us march in our uniforms, salute, carry flags … and they get to hear the pipes and drums band,” he said. “There’s a lot of pomp and circumstance and patriotism incorporated with our faith at the Mass, and the children get to see the police officers and first responders in a new way.” 

After the past year, Harkins said the 2021 Mass will be a special kind of blessing. “Last year was a difficult one with a lot of national anti-police sentiment, and to know that people were supporting us, that we were being prayed for, that we weren’t being forgotten, got us over that difficult period of time.”

For more information, visit facebook.com/SouthJerseyBlueMass. Saint Agnes Church is located at 701 Little Gloucester Road, Blackwood.