Joliet Priest Suffers Medical Emergency At Police Memorial Service

JOLIET, IL — Long-time Joliet Police Department chaplain Father Chris Groh suffered a medical emergency shortly after the start of Thursday's Will County Law Enforcement Memorial Service at the old Will County Courthouse.

The noon service was delayed at least 20 minutes as several police officers rushed to the lawn to provide emergency medical care to Groh, who had just celebrated the Memorial Mass at Saint Mary Magdalene Catholic Church on Thursday morning.

In addition to being the Joliet Police chaplain, Groh serves as the chaplain for the Police Chiefs Association of Will County. He has been the pastor at St. Mary Magdalene for several years. Earlier, Groh was pastor at St. Mary Nativity and at Holy Cross, on Joliet's near west side.

Before being taken away on a stretcher in a Joliet Fire Department ambulance, Groh regained consciousness, smiling and raising his arm to waive to the crowd of concerned onlookers. Several hundred people attended the event.

Joliet Fire Chief Greg Blaskey was at the memorial service and helped provide urgent medical care to the Catholic priest.

He said Groh was taken to Silver Cross Hospital, where he is in good condition.

After the ambulance left at 12:23 p.m., the law enforcement memorial service resumed. This year's event was led by Commander Anthony Novak, president of the Police Chiefs Association of Will County and a member of the Plainfield Police Department.

Illinois State Police Special Agent Jonn-Paul Oliverto sang The National Anthem.

The guest speaker was Philip Cline, retired Chicago Police Superintendent and executive director of the Chicago Police Memorial Foundation.

"A closer look at police murders tells us an alarming story," Cline told everyone. "Last year, the number of officers killed by firearms increased from 45 the year before to 61 last year. That's a 36 percent increase. Most troubling is the fact that 61 officers killed by a firearm, 19 were killed in ambush style attacks. There were just six such police murders in 2020.

"These types of assault suggest the offenders are targeting officers simply based on the work they do or the uniform they wear. The increase in officers being targeted comes at a critical time for policing in the United States ... no officer or his family should have to face the threat of violence based on the fact that they chose a career to protect and serve their community," Cline stressed.

"So, what can we do in response? The short answer is a lot. But to me the best answer comes from our Chicago Police Memorial Foundation motto, which is, 'Never forget.'"