Each year, the Diocese of Buffalo holds a Blue Mass at St. Joseph Cathedral to pray over police officers, firefighters and first responders. It traditionally happens in the autumn, though the cathedral has not yet announced a date for this year’s Mass
The Catholic Family of South Buffalo, meanwhile, held its own Blue Mass at St. Thomas Aquinas Church, Sunday, Sept. 29 in honor of members of Buffalo Police and the Erie County Sheriff’s Department. A Buffalo Police Honor Guard positioned flags at the start of the Mass. Two officers from the Erie County Sheriff’s Department mounted patrol were positioned outside, keeping watch while greeting worshipers as they left the church.
Celebrating the Mass was Father Jim Cunningham, who was well exposed to police life while growing up. His father, the late James Cunningham, served with Buffalo Police for nearly 42 years, and was commissioner from Jan. 1, 1978 until his death on Jan. 21, 1984.
“I’ll always have a very tender spot in my heart for anyone who is a policeman, a policewoman. I think I realize to a degree how dangerous the job is at times, how taxing psychologically the job is all the time,” he said during his homily.
Father Cunningham explained that during his father’s career, he would never discuss at home the toughest and most tragic moments experienced on the beat, but he’d happily share the good times and even funny incidents that happened on a given workday.
This Blue Mass was organized by members of the parish family’s Spirituality Pillar, whose tasks include holding one intentional Mass each month. Sept. 29 was chosen to coincide with the usual feast day for St. Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of police.
At the conclusion of Mass, holy cards and medallions featuring St. Michael were distributed to law enforcers in attendance. Father Cunningham also blessed them during his homily, adding a prayer of intercession to the archangel seeking God’s protection: “Archangel Michael, Heaven’s glorious commissioner of police, who once so neatly and successfully cleared God’s premises of all its undesirables, look with kind and professional eyes on your earthly force. Give us cool hands, stout hearts, and uncanny flair for investigation and wise judgment.”
He added, “I think those words say it all, in terms of the fact that police have to wear so many hats and have to be very astute when it comes to making quick but accurate judgments.”
Father Cunningham also suggested that members of law enforcement have a kindness in their hearts for the general public, otherwise they would not be in that career.
This Blue Mass also gave the Catholic Family of South Buffalo an opportunity to hold such an occasion at St. Thomas Aquinas Church one more time. The parish is set to merge with St. Teresa Parish by next Pentecost. The church is also where the late Msgr. William Gallagher served for seven years until his passing in 2019. Msgr. Gallagher was also a chaplain for Buffalo Police.