The 2026 Annual Blue Mass

DULUTH, Minn. — In partnership with the Diocese of Duluth, Stella Maris Academy (SMA) hosted area law enforcement and first responders for its annual Blue Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Rosary in Duluth, uniting students and guests in a liturgy of prayer and gratitude for those who serve in public safety.

Blue Masses are celebrated in Catholic communities across the United States as a way to honor and ask God’s protection for people who dedicate their lives to keeping others safe, including police officers, firefighters, emergency medical personnel, and other first responders. The tradition takes its name from the blue dress uniforms commonly associated with public safety professions, and in many places the liturgy also includes special intentions for those who have been injured or killed in the line of duty, as well as prayers for the loved ones who support them.

With students from all four Stella Maris Academy campuses gathered together, the Blue Mass served as both a solemn tribute and a visible expression of the academy’s commitment to faith and community. The liturgy provided an opportunity for students to reflect on vocation and service, and to recognize the courage, sacrifice, and everyday generosity shown by first responders throughout the Northland.

Following the Mass, students continued the day in fellowship with a picnic at the Holy Rosary Campus.