There was a mix of church and state Sunday when hundreds gathered to thank firefighters, police and other public safety workers at this year’s Blue Mass – held annually since the 9/11 attacks on the Sunday after Sept. 11.

Dozens of uniformed officers from different agencies attended and participated in the service at the Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland. Politicians including Gov. Janet Mills, former Gov. Paul LePage, U.S. Sen Susan Collins and others were also on hand.

At the beginning of the service, conducted by Bishop Robert Deeley, an honor guard of police, wardens and firefighters marched down the aisle to the altar.

From the pulpit, gospel readings were given by South Portland Police Lt. Todd Bernard, and Portland Fire Chief Keith Gautreau.

In his homily, Bishop Deeley began by addressing firefighters, police and emergency workers.

“That is why we are here this morning. We want to be sure that you who serve us as first responders know of our gratitude for that service,” he said. “They were the ones who brought hope and good to a dark day.”

The nation’s response to Sept. 11, 2001 was unifying and the importance of public safety officers was widely recognized, Deeley said. But times have changed.

Since the pandemic, the 2020 police killing of George Floyd and the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, the country has been more divided with less support for first responders.

In addition, severe staffing shortages have plagued police and other critical public safety agencies.

“What happened on 9/11 reminded us that we are helped greatly by those who protect us and serve us,” Deeley said. “We need to pause to realize that we encourage them by our thanks. And in so doing, we show them a respect which might help our young people to realize that service as a first responder is a valuable way to strengthen the bonds of our community.”

Speaking with reporters at a reception following the mass, Gov. Mills said the ceremony “is for people of all faiths to honor those who serve others, firefighters, EMS, police officers and all levels. That’s why I’m here today. That’s why I’ve been coming to this for many years,” she said.

As the bishop said in his homily, Maine is looking at workforce shortages in these critical positions, Mills said.

“Too few people are going into these professions. And we need to attract and recruit more people into law enforcement, firefighters, emergency services,” she said.

LePage, who is running against Mills this November, did not attend the reception.

Sen. Collins said the annual mass allows the opportunity to express deep gratitude to first responders that “now more than ever we need to say thank you.”

The last few years have been difficult for many of them, Collins said.

“Some government officials have not been supportive as they should be. There have been efforts to defund police departments and this event gives us a chance to counter that.”

Collins said in Maine, state elected leaders have not called for the defunding of police agencies.

Some Republican candidates have tried to tie Democrats to calls for reduced police funding.

In 2021 the Maine Republican Party put up campaign signs in Aroostook County trying to tie Maine Sen. President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, to the movement, even though Jackson never advocated for defunding police and says he has long supported law enforcement.

As recently as Thursday Republican candidate Ed Thelander expressed support for law enforcement during a press conference at Portland City Hall while also blaming Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree and progressives in Washington, D.C., for a spike in violent crime. Thelander is trying to unseat Pingree this fall.

Isaiah Bickford of Portland, a member of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, attended Sunday’s Blue Mass. He appreciated the service.

“In the social climate there’s been tension and conflict between people and first responders,” Bickford said. It can be easy to only focus and feel that tension, but the mass offered a different perspective, he said.

“Yes, there’s some injustice here and there, and we should address that. But there are also people really trying to serve the community who are first responders. We can still honor and respect them.”

Staff Writer Randy Billings contributed to this report.

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