Paterson Blue Mass a somber reminder of those lost
More than 500 people crammed Saint Gerard’s Church in Paterson on the morning of May 5 for the 16th Annual Blue Mass in
remembrance of law enforcement officers who in the past year
were lost in the line of duty. The event, run by the Roman Catholic
Diocese of Paterson, honored five New Jersey police officers and
five New York City police officers.
“This is for the police officers’ families to help them grieve and
to help them move forward,” said Captain Richard Reyes of the
Paterson Police Department who is also a member of the Blue
Mass Committee. “This is a positive thing that Monsignor Mark
Giordani of Saint John the Baptist and the Diocese of Paterson do
for law enforcement.”
The New Jersey honorees were: Detective Melvin Santiago of the
Jersey