Archdiocese of Newark Honors Firefighters Archbishop Theodore E. McCarrick will be the principal celebrant at the Inaugural Firefighters Mass at 10:00am Thursday, October 23, 1997 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. The Mass will honor the courageous work of firefighters from Bergen, Essex, Hudson, and Union Counties. Archbishop McCarrick said that the Mass "is a way to ask God to bless and protect all the men and women who risk their lives to unselfishly save others." Vicar for Pastoral Life and coordinator of the Mass, Msgr. Louis Fimiani, is delighted that the Archdiocese will honor the firefighters of the area. "It's so important to take time to appreciate the bravery of these dedicated men and women," he said, "because their work is too often taken for granted." The Mass will honor paid professional, volunteer, and retired firefighters from throughout the Archdiocese as well as firefighters who have lost their lives in the line of duty. Fire chaplains of all denominations are invited to attend to lend their support. Newark Fire Department Chaplain since 1971, Msgr. Horton J. Raught, will be among those being honored at the Mass. Captain John Pracher, Newark Truck Co. 5, has known Msgr. Raught for the entire 19 years that he has been a firefighter in Newark. "Msgr. Raught shows up at all multiple alarm fires," Pracher said, "any time of the day or night he's there to offer his kind words and a hot cup of coffee." Captain Pracher is a fifth generation Newark firefighter and his great-great grandfather, Daniel McGee, was one of the first paid professional firefighters to die in the line of duty in Newark in 1883. "There is a lot of history here for me," he said, "and so it's nice that the Archdiocese is bringing all of us together like this for the first time. It's nice to know that the Archbishop and the Archdiocese appreciate the work we do."
|
