Blue Mass held in Abbeville on Monday

Monday night may have been the first official Blue Mass in Vermilion Parish. The Mass honored six officers who have fallen in the line of duty in Vermilion Parish.
The Blue Mass was held at St. Theresa Catholic Church in Abbeville. The Mass honored law enforcement, fire safety and EMS personnel.
Law enforcement from Erath, Vermilion Parish’s Sheriff’s Office, Abbeville Police Department and the Louisiana State Troopers were on hand to pay their respect.
Here are the names of the fallen officers in Vermilion Parish.
• Erath Officer Otto Bourque, 1964
• Kaplan Officer Rodney Trahan, 1969
• Abbeville Officer John Hardy, 1992
• Maurice Fire Chief Fred Broussard, 1999
• Sheriff Deputy Todd Touchet, 2000
• Sheriff Deputy Allen Bares Jr., 2014
Celebrant, Father Kenneth Mayne said the residents of
Vermilion Parish owe their life and liberty to those men and women.
“They have given themselves totally and sacrificed themselves for us and they deserve our respect.”
The first Blue Mass took place 80 years ago in Baltimore, Maryland. Approximately 1,100 police and firemen dressed in blue uniforms and marched into St. Patrick’s Catholic Church for the celebration.
Tuesday's Mass was inspired by the loss of Sheriff Deputy Allen Bares Jr, who died on June 23.
Brooks David with State Police Troop I, said, “We are here to remember their spirit. They have young kids so we want to talk to them, let them know what their mothers and fathers meant to us and let the community know what they meant for us.”
“For an agency that has to bury one of its own, it’s hard and very painful and there is a long grieving process. The mass here will help put some closure,” said Col. Kirk Frith of the Sheriff’s Office.