Washington D.C., May 2, 2017 / 16:33 pm
At a Mass on Tuesday, the archbishop of Washington, D.C. thanked law enforcement officers and first responders for putting themselves in harm's way for the betterment of society.
"This Mass," Cardinal Donald Wuerl said, "should call forth from all of us enormous gratitude." He thanked officials in attendance, their fallen comrades who died in the line of duty, and the families of the deceased.
Cardinal Wuerl was the celebrant and homilist at the 23rd annual Blue Mass at St. Patrick's Church in downtown Washington, D.C. The Mass is said for law enforcement and fire safety officials, and for those who have died in the line of duty.
According to the Archdiocese of Washington, the tradition of the Blue Mass dates back to 1934 but it has only been an annual tradition beginning with 1994.