Annual Blue Mass will honor first responders

Friday, Jan. 27, 2017

DRAPER — For the past eight years the Knights of Columbus Council 12181 at Saint John the Baptist Parish has been celebrating a Blue Mass, which honoring the law enforcement personnel, firefighters, EMTs and all first responder personnel in Utah.

“The importance of having the Blue Mass in our diocese is that we, as a Catholic community, have this opportunity at least once a year to express our gratitude to all those who serve in public safety – police, firefighters, correction officers, 911 operators, EMS personnel, military service personnel – who are willing risk that act ‘of which there is no great love’ than to lay down their life for another,” said Monsignor Colin F. Bircumshaw, diocesan administrator.

Officers and first responders from all over the state attend the Mass and the breakfast that follows.

The Blue Mass is an important event because “we as a community do something” for the first responders, said Randy Hendrickson, a Knight who for the past four years has organized the fundraising breakfast that takes place in conjunction with the Mass; proceeds from the breakfast go to the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial.

Over the years the celebration has grown exponentially, he said.

“Last year we probably had between 700 and 800 people in attendance to the Mass, and well over 200 attended the breakfast,” said Hendrickson, adding that freewill donations are collected at the breakfast, and “we present those to the law enforcement fund.”

This has been a great community event, he said, and for the Knights, “it is part of what we honor. A lot of it comes down to the essence of what the Knights of Columbus do: We provide for families and communities, for the Church, and this is part for patriotism which is one of our funding principles.”

Putting together the breakfast has been a very special time for Hendrickson, he said, because he has friends who work in law enforcement.

“When someone gets killed in the line of duty, the funds of the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial help their families to continue. A lot of it goes to scholarships for children to continue their education,” he said.

The breakfast will take place after the 8:30 a.m. Mass at Saint John the Baptist Middle School multipurpose room.

WHAT: The Blue Mass

WHEN: Feb. 19, 8:30 a.m. 

WHERE: Saint John the Baptist Parish, 300 East 11800 South, Draper

A breakfast with a freewill offering will be held afterward, with profits going to the Utah Law Enforcement Memorial.