DANBURY—The Annual Diocesan Blue Mass honoring Fire, Police and First Responders will be held on Sunday, September 9, 10:30 am at St. Joseph Church, 370 Main Street in Danbury.
A reception immediately following Mass will be held in the school gym on the parish grounds.
The Mass will commemorate the 17th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. on 9-11.
Bishop Frank J. Caggiano will be the main celebrant along with diocesan priests who serve as police and fire chaplains in Fairfield County. Fr. Charles Allen, special assistant to the President of Fairfield University, is serving as chairman of the event.
Law Enforcement, Fire and Emergency Medical Service personnel of all faiths in Fairfield County along with members of the general public are invited to attend the Mass and reception.
“This is the first time the bishop has offered to celebrate the Blue Mass in the Danbury area. We’re deeply honored that he will do so at St. Joseph’s,” said Fr. Samuel Scott, pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Danbury.
Fr. Scott said that after last year’s Blue Mass at St. Matthew Parish in Norwalk, he spoke to Bishop Caggiano about the tremendous and heroic work of the law enforcement, firefighters and first responders in the Danbury area.
“At the Blue Mass, we will hold up in prayer all the law enforcement personnel, firefighters and first responders who put themselves in harm’s way for us. We thank them profoundly for their service to God and to their country,” Fr. Scott said.
The Blue Mass has grown into a moving and memorable commemoration of the courage and commitment of the uniformed personnel who protect the health and safety of people every day of the year in Fairfield County.
The Fairfield County Councils and Assemblies of the Knights of Columbus is sponsoring the Mass again this year.
Chaplains of the Fairfield County Fire, Police and Emergency Medical Service Departments include Rev. Charles H. Allen, S.J., Fairfield Town Emergency Services; Rev. Sudhir DSouza, Norwalk Police Department; Msgr. Laurence R. Bronkiewicz, Ridgefield Police Department; Msgr. Stephen M. DiGiovanni, Stamford Police Department; Rev. Bruce Roby, Stratford Fire Department; Rev. Thomas P. Thorne, Westport Police and Fire Departments and Federal Bureau of Investigation; Rev. Francis T. Hoffmann, Noroton Fire Department; Rev. Christopher Perrella, Noroton Heights Fire Department; Deacon John J. Moranski, Bridgeport Police Department; Deacon William D. Murphy, Germantown Fire Department; Rev. Samuel V. Scott, Danbury Police Department; Rev. Robert J. Post, Stamford Fire Department; Msgr. William J. Scheyd, New Canaan Emergency Services and Norwalk Fire Department (Retired); Msgr. Richard J. Shea, Trumbull Police Department; Rev. Michael Dunn, Weston Police and Fire Departments; Rev. Joseph Cervero, Redding Police Department; Deacon Frank Masso, Huntington Volunteer Fire Company No. 3; Rev. Nicholas Pavia, Stratford Police Department; Deacon John DeRoin, Stony Hill Fire Department & EMS, Bethel.
The Blue Mass takes its name from the blue uniforms worn by police, fire and emergency services personnel. Founded by Bishop William E. Lori, the Blue Mass was initiated to celebrate the life and heroism of those who died during the 9-11 terrorist attacks in New York, Pennsylvania and Washington D.C. Each year awards are presented to individual local Police, Fire and First Responders for acts of heroism and public service.
(For further information or to reserve a seat, contact Elizabeth Auda 203.416.1636, email: eauda@diobpt.org.)
