Police, Fire fighters, EMS, and military all gathered at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception Tuesday for an annual “Blue Mass,” an opportunity for honor and pray for first responders.
Part of Bishop Thomas John Paprocki’s message to those who serve in faith:
“From the Book of Job, Job lost everything, and yet he did not lose his faith in God, and so we see often times when people face catastrophes or we see violence and crimes, that can be very challenging for people’s faith. But we have to remember that God gives us a free will. God doesn’t force us to love him or each other. He wants us to love freely.”
“We look to Job’s example,” said the Bishop, “especially to encourage and to strengthen our first responders and public safety officials because they do face a lot of terrible things that they have to deal with in this world, and so they need strength and they need grace and that’s what we’re praying for in this Blue Mass.”
The Diocese of Springfield celebrates other special Masses throughout the year, including a “White Mass” for healthcare providers and a “Red Mass” for lawyers and judges.