Blue Mass Boot Gazing

The first Tuesday of May is when an event called the Blue Mass is held at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Washington, DC. This mass gathers officers from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies along with their supporters, like me, to remember and pray for those who have died in the line of duty in the last year. It's a classy event. The Archbishop of Washington says the mass with many concelebrants.

I attend the mass because deep down I have tremendous respect for law enforcement officers who take a lot of grief every day in their jobs, dealing with some of society's worst. They truly care about the communities they serve and work long, hard hours, often without even a thank-you. Well, seriously, THANK YOU to all of the men and women who help all of us be safe where we live, work, and enjoy our freedoms.

I also have to admit, though, being a Bootman, I have a very special fondness for a man in a nice looking uniform and tall, well-shined, black boots. The uniform of the U.S. Secret Service wins hands-down, at least among those who lined up for the Blue Mass. Photo above shows them all decked out in their dress "Class A" uniforms and Dress Instep Dehner Boots with lug soles. My my my, what a nice sight to behold. It's nice to talk with these officers, to say thank-you, and to learn more about their daily work. Most enjoy speaking with us civilians, because part of their training includes learning how to work with people. They are, after all, in a position to deal with a lot of people!

While waiting for the mass to begin, I snapped some photos and took some video of the procession of honor guards, police leadership, and clergy entering the church. Those photos and video are posted here (this is a link).

Next time you see a cop, instead of saying "uh-oh," say "Thank You!"