By Sean Hilliard
The Evening Sun (Hanover, Pennsylvania)
Copyright 2007 MediaNews Group, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
HANOVER, Pa. — The night of the annual Blue Mass is a special one for the firefighters, police officers and emergency-medical personnel it honors.
So the Rev. James Sterner, pastor of St. Alloysius Parish in Littlestown, took special effort in preparing his homily.
“It took ?10 days to write it,” the 65-year-old priest said Monday night, “but I really threw myself into it yesterday and today.”
The Mass, held for the last six years, was celebrated at Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in McSherrystown. The Mass brought together emergency responders from both Adams and York counties and as far away as Harrisburg, Hershey and Montgomery County, Md. About 250 people attended the Mass, and it lived up to its name as there was a veritable sea of blue in the audience.
The McSherrystown church is next door to where Sterner grew up.
During his homily, he told the audience about a fire that hit particularly close to home.
Sixty-nine years ago, the school next to the church caught fire.
“There was a great fear the church would burn down, too,” Sterner said.
But as firefighters tackled the blaze next door, a visiting priest climbed to the roof of the church and threw miraculous medals, depicting Mary during the Immaculate Conception, onto the fire. Then he led the other priests at the church in praying the Hail Mary as firefighters contained the blaze.
“And here we are,” he finished with a smile. “It is very blessed and fitting that we come here tonight.”
The idea for the Mass came from the Rev. Lawrence Sherdel, pastor of the church, said Jim Staub, co-chairman of the Blue Mass committee and a member the Knights of Columbus, the group that sponsors the event.
“Following 9/11, they challenged us to have these Blue Masses,” Staub said. “Father Sherdel came to us with the idea. He said as long as he’s here, we’ll have it.”
Hanover Fire Department Commissioner James Roth has attended the Mass all six years, and he said that the program was very nice.
“Father Sterner gave a very good sermon and did a good job tying the fire, police and EMS services together,” Roth said.
The Mass blended both religious and secular themes, with both a presenting of the colors and a procession. Hymns were sung, as were patriotic songs including the national anthem.
Sterner said he was aware of both the secular and religious significance of the Mass, which he touched on during his homily.
“They say there are no atheists in foxholes,” Sterner said. “Well, there can’t be any in firefighting, police or emergency medical either.”
Southeastern Adams Volunteer Emergency Services Trustee and Adams County Commissioner Tom Weaver called the Mass a solemn event.
“It’s an opportunity to combine a civic and religious cause,” Weaver said.
Weaver has also attended the Blue Mass all six years.
“It’s not just a McSherrystown event,” Weaver said. “It’s a county event – a multi-county event. Hopefully in future years, we’ll make it even better.”