Annual Blue Mass honors first responders

MIAMI BEACH | Every year since her husband, Miami-Dade Police Officer Jose Somohano, was shot and killed during a traffic stop on Sept. 13, 2007, Elizabeth Somohano has attended the annual Blue Mass at St. Patrick Church honoring first responders. At this year's Mass Sept. 28, Somohano sat in a front pew wearing her husband's badge with a black ribbon across it.

"I can't even imagine losing a spouse in such a violent way," said Doyla Calafell, a Dade County Police Benevolent Association (PBA) spokesperson. "Each time they come to the Mass it brings back memories."

The PBA and St. Patrick Church worked together to host the Blue Mass on the eve of the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel, the patron saint of police officers. Honor guards from various agencies carried their flags into the church. Police chaplains, judges and local officials also attended the Blue Mass. Some officers acted as altar servers. Radio Paz broadcast the Blue Mass so that officers could listen in their cruisers.

Archbishop Thomas Wenski said the first responders are like the guardian angels.

"Today, we honor law enforcement officers, and firefighters, and rescue personnel," he said. "You put your lives on the line to serve and protect people you don't even know. We honor you not because you're celebrities. The good work you do is not often mentioned in the newspapers or the evening news on television. We honor you because you are heroes."

Archbishop Wenski recognized the seventh and eighth graders from St. Patrick and St. Lawrence Schools who attended the Mass. He reminded the children about the differences between celebrity and heroism. "Too often, our society values people for what they have and not for who they are. When getting rather than giving is prized, celebrities are taken as role models."

John Rivera, president of the PBA, paid homage to the police officers in attendance.

"You have among you great heroes," said Rivera, who invited officers wounded in the line of duty to stand. Several officers rose to a round of applause. Rivera also acknowledged the doctors and nurses who helped the wounded officers.

Sunny Isles Beach Police Chief Fred Maas said the archbishop must have been pleased with the turnout at this year's Blue Mass and how it has evolved in the past 10 years. As a token of gratitude to St. Patrick Church, Chief Maas gave Father Roberto Cid, pastor of St. Patrick, a model of a police car.

"We've disengaged the blue and red lights," he joked.

Chief Maas has known Archbishop Wenski since they were classmates together at St. John Vianney Minor Seminary, starting in 1964. At that point, the curriculum was four years of high school and two years of college.

"This is sort of a reunion for us: today, we meet as archbishop and police chief," said Chief Maas.

Chief Maas and Archbishop Wenski were two among five from their original class to graduate from St. John Vianney. The archbishop continued his studies at St. Vincent de Paul Major Seminary in Boynton Beach. Chief Maas went on to Biscayne College, now St. Thomas University.

"Thomas Wenski was one of 63 boys in our class. If you asked anyone who they thought would actually be ordained as a priest, everyone agreed it would be Wenski," Chief Maas said. "He had an unbelievable maturity, dedication and a sense of standing up for social justice."

Chief Maas said that he and the archbishop had another thing in common. While growing up, the archbishop attended Sacred Heart Church in Lake Worth while Chief Maas went to Sacred Heart Church in Homestead.

And when Chief Maas, along with others, was presented the pontifical St. Sylvester Award in October 2008 at St. Mary Cathedral, he said he was grateful that Archbishop Wenski - then Bishop of Orlando - made it a point to attend.