by Jessica Rinaudo

On Sunday, Sept. 27, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati celebrated their 16th Annual Blue Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains in downtown Cincinnati. The Mass honors police, fire and public safety personnel. Father Steve Angi, Police Chaplain and Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, was the celebrant. Prior to the Mass, Father Angi offered an outdoor blessing of emergency and police members and their vehicles.

During the Mass, Father Angi gave a powerful homily thanking first responders for selflessly helping others as part of their duty.

“To each and every one of our first responders, on behalf of a grateful community, allow me to offer words that are spoken all too rarely, but are so heartfelt today. Thank you,” said Father Angi. “Our world is a better place and our lives are richer because of your efforts. Every day you, our first responders, make incredible sacrifices to bring peace and harmony to our world. And while far from being perfect, for none of us are, your selfless efforts to love, to serve, to heal and to protect remind us that it is indeed possible, with God’s grace, to live out the Gospel in a tangible, loving and selfless manner.”

Father Angi acknowledged the current climate during his homily, specifically mentioning “the law enforcement community under scrutiny, the Covid-19 pandemic and the shootings at various institutions across the country.”

He asked everyone to consider that those acts of violence could have easily taken place in the local community, citing the recent shootings in both Dayton and in Over-the-Rhine.

“While praying that God will spare us from such violence, we acknowledge today you, first responders, that daily you place yourselves in harm’s way in performance of your duty, a duty linked to the burdens of your work that we often fail to sufficiently appreciate,” said Father Angi.

He continued, “My friends, our first responders, we honor you today as heroes of our Church, our society and our world. We honor you because you have chosen to respect and reverence life – the noblest thing that any of us can do.”

Among those who attended the Mass were Cincinnati Police Chief Elliot Isaac and Cincinnati Assistant Chief Colonel Teresa Theetge.

During the Mass, the names were read of all of the first responders who died over the course of the past year, and a special blessing was bestowed upon those in attendance.

Father Steve Angi’s homily, Blue Mass, September 29, 2020: