By VICKIE JAMBON

Staff Reporter

LAPLACE – A Blue Mass and Blessing of the Fleet was held Friday at the St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church to honor law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical personnel working for St. John the Baptist Parish.

Father Billy O’Riordan and Deacon Dominic “Mixie” Aucuri officiated at a 10 a.m. service and afterwards blessed a fleet of vehicles belonging to the sheriff’s office and the fire station.

Officers dressed in blue entered the church behind Parish President Nickie Monica while a choir, composed of chiildren from the St. Joan of Arc School, sang “His Truth is Marching On.”

Reading from the Book of Isaiah, O’Riordan told the officers, “We are here to honor and protect you as you protect our community.”

O’Riordan told the men in blue they are often taken for granted. However, he said many individuals were snapped back to reality by the Sept. 11 incident – which involved terrorists flying planes into the New York Twin Towers and the Washington Pentagon.

“They see us at our worst. Yet we expect them to constantly be at their best, said O’Riordan, as he spoke about the men and women in uniform. He addie, “They lay down their lives for complete strangers. There is no greater love.”

The priest told the congregation gathered before him to preserve good morals by correcting and critiquing the morals of society.

“You are a light to the world. You have been chosen to be a helper, a server, a protector, a carer and a friend,” said O’Riordan.

The priest prayed for those who lost their lives in the line of duty. He then served communion.

At the end of the prayer service, O’Riordan thanked Monica and the officers. He admonished them to do God’s will.

Following the service, O’Riordan and Aucuri stepped outside to bless numerous parish vehicles.

Blessed were 12 police units, a sheriff’s trailer pulling two recreational vehicles, a sheriff’s transport unit, a police unit pulling an electronic traffic sign, a sheriff’s special operations response unit and four parish fire trucks.

Sheriff Wayne L. Jones was on hand for the occasion. He allowed children to sit in the police units.

“Ya’ll are tight,” said one young boy excitedly to the officers, after the men in blue turned on flashing lights and blaring sirens in their vehicles.

Officers were invited into the Family Life Center to eat dinner.

Students from the St. Joan of Arc School served Jambalaya cooked by Msgr. Pete Bergeron’s Knights of Columbus Unit 5935. Two cakes served at side tables had the word “THANKS” written on them.

O’Riordan said he hoped Friday’s event would become a tradition. He said, “We are hoping to have this annually. Sept. 11 has made us more aware of our need for these individuals. This is our way of thanking them and praying for God’s protection over them in the line of duty.”

O’Riordan is new to the parish. He came to the church in February. He served at St. Martha’s Church in Harvey for 10 years before coming to LaPlace.