The community of St. Christina Parish and School celebrated first responders during a Mass Sept. 29, the feast of St. Michael the Archangel, the patron of police, fire and emergency personnel. 

Following Communion, Elizabeth French, mother of slain Chicago Police Officer Ella French, spoke about Light the Line, an organization founded by two members of the Chicago Police Department in Ella French’s honor to provide emotional support and resources to police officers working challenging shifts. French is its founding executive director.

First responders received blessings and blessed medals of St. Michael the Archangel at the end of Mass, while members of the Bagpipes and Drums of the Emerald Society of the Chicago Police Department led the processions at the Mass.

Students from St. Christina presented French with flowers and a check for $1,200 for Light the Line, which they raised during a dress-down day fundraiser. The parish matched the students’ donation.

During his homily, Father Ryan Brady, pastor of St. Christina, 11005 S. Homan Ave., spoke about the important service first responders provide to the community.

“We in our parish school have nearly 500 kids,” he said. “Out of that parish school, 80% of those children have one or two parents in the police and fire department.  We have a parish community of selfless defenders, and we need St. Michael’s defense as we go about serving others for the good of our community, for the good of our city, for the good of our world.”

It is not just God, and not just the chaplains, the partners and the colleagues of first responders “who have their back,” Brady said.

“It is us. It is the people in our homes who live free and safe,” he said. “It is us who have their back. It is we the people who are praying for our first responders. … It also includes our guardian angels and theirs.”

In her remarks, French explained the purpose of Light the Line.

“The whole mission of Light the Line is to be here for the officers, the first responders of the City of Chicago,” French told the congregation.

Light the Line has a new mobile unit that travels to places where officers are working long hours on scene or during events like the Democratic National Convention or the recent Mexican Independence Day celebrations. The unit provides sandwiches, water and a show of support to the men and women who are working, French explained.

During recent events, French said, when they pulled up and began unpacking the food and water, “you could see the smiles on their faces that somebody was there for them. That somebody had remembered that they might need some things out there.”

She knows her daughter would support Light the Line too, she said.

“My heart still hurts with the loss of Ella, but I have to say that being out there on those nights and those days and seeing the reactions that we got to this, it just eases the hurt of my heart a little bit and I know that I am absolutely doing the right thing,” French said.

“Having the kids work to give a donation to Light the Line is a special treat,” French said after Mass.

As an educator for 27 years, French said the donation is extra special.

“School and children and knowing that they are the ones to come after us, if nothing else, you want them to be good people,” she said.

In the three years since her daughter’s death, French said her faith has sustained her.

“Father Brady said that [in his homily] ‘your partner’s got your back and we’ve got your soul.’ I know God’s got my soul,” she said. “My faith has been able to put one foot in front of the other and the faith of the people around me as well. And just knowing that Ella’s waiting for me.”

Natalie and David Kemp are sixth graders at St. Christina and their father is a Chicago police officer, so supporting an effort that benefits first responders was important to them.

“It made me feel really good, because they work so hard for us and we get to help them,” Natalie Kemp said.

Her brother agreed.

“I also want to be a police officer when I grow up,” David Kemp said.