Stella Maris Academy Hosts Blue Mass For First Responders
DULUTH, Minn. — A Blue Mass was held Wednesday in Duluth to honor first responders and provide a blessing of safety and well-being.
The Blue Mass took place at Cathedral of Our Lady of Rosary and was organized by and Stella Maris Academy.
Firefighters, EMTs, and police officers from across the regions attended the mass.
Duluth Police Deputy Chief Ryan Morris sees the Blue Mass as a showing of community support to officers who sometimes can feel beaten down by negativity.
“This is a good reminder for our officers who see a lot of bad things, to just see that there is truly community support out there for us and for the work that they’re doing. I think it uplifts them a little bit more to understand there is purpose to what they’re doing, and it does affect people, and it’s just great to see a group of people that are okay with showing that police,” Morris said. “We can honor our police. We can pray for our police, and we can realize that we are here to help people and try to not look at the negative all the time, which is easy to see.”
Students from Stella Maris Academy also were at the service to experience what a Blue Mass is all about. The academy partners with the church every year for the special mass as a way to show gratitude and appreciation.
“It was an it’s always a powerful reminder of how, how, when our community comes together, what that looks like, and the power that it has to support those that are in our community, that oftentimes we forget, are out there supporting and serving us.” said Andrew Helliker, president of Stella Maris Academy, “I also think it gives, especially some of our youngest students, a sense of understanding and appreciation for what the police officers in the community do their people. There’s a there’s relationships built today that not only helps the officers, but it helps our students too.”
Stella Maris Academy is commissioned by the Catholic Church with a mission of preparing lifelong learners who lead, love, and serve.
