Firefighters honored with St. Florian Mass

Several hundred firefighters and their families gathered at the Corpus Christi Cathedral on Friday, May 4, to celebrate the Feast of St. Florian, the patron saint of firefighters. Bishop Wm. Michael Mulvey celebrated the Mass and told those in attendance that the Diocese of Corpus Christi hopes to make the observance an annual event.
 

In his homily, Bishop Mulvey reminded the firefighters of Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross for all his brothers and sisters. They, more than most, know about sacrificing for others, he said.

 

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus told the apostles He would give up His body and pour out His blood for them. He was asking us, Bishop Mulvey said, to give our lives, our treasure and our talents to our brothers and sisters.

 

“You know very profoundly, as men and women in service to your brothers and sisters, you know it’s not about you,” Bishop Mulvey said.

 

The bishop thanked the firefighters for their “great service of extending the loving hand of Jesus Christ” to their brothers and sisters during their time of need.

 

Corpus Christi Fire Chief Robert Rocha, who recently came from Kansas City to assume the post, said that the Catholic Church is an important part of his life and in the lives of many firefighters as well.  A St. Florian Mass is often celebrated in the bigger cities up north, he said, and he felt it would be a good idea to initiate in Corpus Christ. 

 

Other communities do a 911 Mass or a Blue Mass, but this is Corpus Christi, the Body of Christ, so doing the St. Florian Mass was the right Mass here, Rocha said.

He mentioned the idea to Mayor Joe Adame who in turn arranged a meeting with Bishop Mulvey to discuss the idea.

 

“Bishop Mulvey completely understood what we were trying to do,” Rocha said. Without the bishop’s blessing the Mass would not have come about, Rocha said.

 

Bishop Mulvey also recently appointed Father William Marquis as Chaplain for the Corpus Christi Fire Department. Rocha said Father Marquis “is going to be able to come on our scenes; when times are tough you need a little help and Father will be able to provide that help.”

 

Rocha said the department now has two chaplains, one for Protestant fire fighters and one for Catholics. He said his Protestant “brothers and sisters” in the fire department readily accepted the idea of the St. Florian Mass and many were in attendance. 

 

“They understand tradition, the firefighting tradition and the tradition of St. Florian. We are all one family and St. Florian is our patron saint,” Rocha said.

 

Mayor Adame said the Mass was beyond his expectations and hopes it’s the beginning of an annual event.

 

Members of other area fire departments were also in attendance.

 

Msgr. Seamus McGowan and Msgr. Louis Kihneman, Vicar General, co-celebrated the Mass with Bishop Mulvey. The Corpus Christi Cathedral Choir provided the music.