The fallen of 9/11 remembered in Fresno and Clovis ceremonies

A noontime Mass at St. John’s Cathedral in downtown Fresno on Friday honored law enforcement officers, firefighters and other emergency responders who have died in the line of service.

About 200 people attended the third annual Blue Mass where hymns were sung by schoolchildren and prayers were offered by the Most Rev. Armando Ochoa, bishop of Fresno’s Roman Catholic Diocese. The service was one of several special events held in Fresno and Clovis in remembrance of the 14th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York City.

“I am able in a public forum to thank you for walking not just that extra mile, but (for your) outreach to so many … as you intend to serve and, yes, even to heal the members of our various households,” Ochoa said during the service.

The Blue Mass is a tradition that dates back to 1934 in Washington, D.C., and the northeastern United States. The service spread nationally after the Sept. 11, 2001, tragedy as a way to honor those who sacrifice their lives to protect others, the diocese said. Blue refers to the color of the uniforms that many public safety employees wear.

Men and women from the Fresno Police Department, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the California Highway Patrol, and the state Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation formed a short procession down the church aisle at the start of the nearly hourlong service.

When the Mass ended, Ochoa blessed law enforcement vehicles parked in front of the church.

Christopher Bruno, 9, his mother, sister and baby brother attended the Mass to support their husband and father, also named Christopher, who is a Cal Fire firefighter.

“He loves his job,” the younger Christopher said. “I’m very proud of him.”

The elder Christopher Bruno has been a firefighter for 15 years. He travels with Cal Fire’s honor guard to funerals and special events across California. Earlier Friday, Bruno and his colleagues participated in a morning memorial service at Pelco by Schneider Electric in Clovis.

Several hundred people attended the ceremony that included guest Andy Isolano, a retired New York City firefighter and Sept. 11 survivor. Pelco, a video and security surveillance manufacturer, has held an annual ceremony at its company headquarters since building a monument there to honor fallen heroes.

“It’s great to have support from the community,” Bruno said. “The support means the world to us.

“That’s why we’re here,” he said, “to support our fallen.”

Burn center donation

Fresno Mayor Ashley Swearengin, at a brief City Hall event Friday, handed a $500 check to Katie Zenovich, vice president for corporate development at Community Medical Centers.

The personal donation was for the Leon S. Peters Burn Center at Community Regional Medical Center.

With her gift, the mayor tied together four themes:

▪ Fresno Fire Capt. Pete Dern left the center on Thursday, more than five months after suffering severe burns on much of his body after helping fight a blaze. The roof Dern was on collapsed and he fell into a room full of flames.

▪ The staffs at Community Medical Centers in general, and the Peters Burn Center in particular, well serve the burn patients who come their way.

▪ America remembers the first responders who answered the call on Sept. 11, 2001 and shows its gratitude to first responders throughout the nation who have done so ever since.

▪ Give as she is giving, in this case to the Peters Burn Center.

“I want to encourage Fresnans and people all over our region to do what they can,” Swearengin said. “Every little bit helps.”

Added Zenovich: “This will help us do things we otherwise couldn’t do without private support.”

To make a donation, go to www.fresnoburncenter.com.

This story was originally published September 11, 2015 at 12:37 PM with the headline "The fallen of 9/11 remembered in Fresno and Clovis ceremonies."