The Rev. Jarlath Quinn, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help-St. Agnes Church, the Rev. Martin Biglin, a retired New York priest living in Atlantic Highlands, and Monsignor Gerald Hahn, a priest in the Newark Archdiocese con-celebrated the 20th annual Blue Mass last week, Oct. 19.
The traditional mass is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus of the Rev. Joseph Donnelly Council at St. Agnes Church, before several hundred volunteers and local residents showing appreciation for the sacrifices and service the volunteers, Coast Guardsmen, police and National Park Service security provide on a regular basis.
The Blue Mass is a tradition dating to the early part of the 20th century when a priest from the Baltimore, Maryland archdiocese offered a mass at St. Patrick’s in Washington, DC attended by more than 1,100 police and firemen dressed in blue uniforms.
John Flynn, a past Grand Knight of the local Council of the Knights of Columbus, in conjunction with the pastor and parishioners initiated the tradition here and expanded those being appreciated to all the volunteers in the various organizations from State Police to the police and fire departments and volunteer units in Middletown, Atlantic Highlands, Highlands, and the Coast Guard station and National Park Service at Sandy Hook.
The program prepared for last week’s mass and celebration included special prayers for police officers, firefighters, Coast Guard and EMS workers. The Rev. Dr. Derrick Doherty, chaplain of the Middletown Fire Department and Atlantic Highlands Police Sgt. Brian Phair offers special prayers during the mass, and children of the volunteers being honored at the Mass carried the gifts to the altar.
Parish organist Courtney Grogan, soloist Stefanie Hayden, and the Patrick Torphy Volunteer Pipe Band provided music both before and during the ceremony, and CWO Christopher Apple of Coast Guard Station Sandy Hook led the congregation in the pledge of allegiance. Robert Fesla, an altar server for the parish, assisted at the altar.
Members of Boy Scout Troop22, together wit h Assistant Scoutmasters Tom Welch and Lawrence McKean Sr, were also attending with the uniformed officers.
In his welcome address to the gathering, Msgr. Hahn spoke on the importance of never forgetting the service of the men and women who give of themselves to help others.
Sgt. Phair called out the names of all members of each of the departments who passed away since the last Blue Mass. In addition to those who passed in Highlands and Atlantic Highlands, there were 22 volunteers and two police officers from Middletown remembered in the prayers. The Fourth Degree Assembly of the second district of the Knights of Columbus provided a color guard for the honorees as they marched into church. Pins with symbols representing the offices of the first responders were distributed at the end of the mass and ceremony.
Following the mass, attendees gathered at the Shore Casino for a late dinner and continued celebration of the work of the officers and volunteers and thanked Shore Casino owner Kathleen Strebb Sweeney and general manager Jay Strebb for their continued support and generosity to the Blue Mass tradition.
