Blue Mass honors those serving in public safety

A Blue Mass was held Sept. 30 at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Fargo to honor police officers, firefighters, correctional officers, first responders, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel, and others serving in public safety. The Mass was held the day after the Feast of the Archangels because St. Michael the Archangel is the patron saint of police officers.

This liturgy is called a Blue Mass because of the traditional color of a police uniform.

“The color of your uniform doesn’t matter,” said Bishop Folda in his homily. “It’s what you do that makes the difference—all of you that give so much of yourselves to the service of others…. Your service isn’t just a desire to do nice things for others. We can see it’s an act of love. Love can mean many things, but it’s highest form is to desire the best for another and even to make sacrifices for another. That’s the highest manifestation of love.”

In addition to praying for the safety of all those who put themselves at the service of others, the petitions during Mass included prayers for the repose of the souls of two polices officers and a deputy sheriff who lost their lives in the line of duty: Cody Holte (2020) from Grand Forks, Colt Allery (2017) from Belcourt, and Jason Moszer (2016) from Fargo.

“There’s great nobility in what you do,” said Bishop Folda to public servants. “I want to invite you who place yourselves at the service of the community to also place yourselves under the protection of our Lord who works with you and in you to serve others.”

At the end of Mass, Father Courtright, pastor of St. Anthony’s Church and chaplain for the Fargo Police Department, presented retired Fargo police chief David Todd the St. Michael the Archangel award for his 33 years of service to the Fargo Police Department, and most recently, his six years as chief.

 “I want to express my appreciation for the many men, I’ve had the opportunity to serve with in the last 33 years,” said Todd. “Their exceptionalism makes you want to go to work and be around them. They say you’re the average of the people you spend the most time with, and I was blessed by their exceptionalism to be their chief.”

Bishop Folda reminded public servants in attendance of the words of our Lord, “Whatever you do for the least of my brethren, you did it for me.”

“By putting yourselves out there, sometimes putting yourselves at risk, you support the dignity and peace of all your brother and sisters in this community. You serve Christ himself who lives among us in our brothers and sisters in sometimes in a very distressing disguise.”

“We pray for you,” said Bishop Folda. “We’re very blessed by the standard of service that exists in this community.”