Ashland Church Hosts 7th Annual Blue Mass

Service to Honor & Say 'Thank You' to Local Emergency Service Members

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Just about everyones’ lives have been touched by law enforcement.

“The fire service, the paramedics, the EMTs,” said Dan Clark with the Ashland Knights of Columbus.

City of Bayfield Chief of Police John Fangman has devoted his life to protect and serve his community.

“There’s a lot of things that go without the public’s eye being seen, and we never get a ‘thank you’ for it,” said Fangman.

Wednesday was a chance for him to hear those two words.

“A lot of people mean to say ‘thank you’, the problem is in the time of crisis, they don’t have time to do that,” Clark said. 

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Ashland held what’s known a Blue Mass, to honor local emergency service workers.

“Hence the name blue, because their talking about the thin blue line in law enforcement,” Clark explained.

It’s a ceremony that’s occurred worldwide since the 1930’s, originally to support local law enforcement.

“After September 11, a number of churches said, ‘We need to include the rest of the emergency first responders,’” said Clark.

Fangman says it’s especially important to honor the volunteers.

“They don’t get paid, and yet they’re on call 24 hours a day, they respond in the middle of the night.”

Fangman says ‘thank yous’ aren’t an expected part of the job.

“We do it because we have this dedication to duty,” he said.

This day of celebration means a lot.

“It’s a chance to pay tribute to our careers, it’s a chance to pay tribute to emergency services people that have been killed in the line of duty,” Fangman added.

Following the mass was a blessing of the badges and a blessing of the fleets.

The service rotates each year between Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Ashland and at St. Louis Church in Washburn.