Remembering Father Mychal Judge, NYC Fire ChaplainPosted on 12/22/2004 5:48:25 AM PST by M. Espinola
Remembering Father Mychal Judge, NYC Fire Chaplain
It was about 8:50 a.m. on September 11th when word reached West 31st Street about the tragedy in lower Manhattan. The thick, black smoke was already billowing skyward. At Engine Co. 1/Ladder Co. 24, the firefighters climbed into their gear and headed downtown. 
Across the street at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, Mychal Judge did the same.
Father Brian Carroll, O.F.M., went up to Father Judge's room to inform him that a plane had just crashed into one of the World Trade Center towers. Father Carroll recalls that Father Judge quickly took off his Franciscan habit, changed into his chaplain's uniform -- paused to comb and spray his hair-- and headed for the door.
The trip from the firehouse to the friars' residence is maybe two dozen steps. It was a trip that Father Mike--as he was known among both the homeless and the famous--made many times since becoming FDNY chaplain in 1992.
This morning, as thousands of New Yorkers ran for their lives toward midtown, Judge jumped in his Fire Department car. With firefighter Michael Weinberg at the wheel and the siren wailing, they sped downtown toward the World Trade Center.
He arrived at the burning 110-story towers, where Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani spotted him.
"Mayor Giuliani recalls that they were both down there very early in the event and the mayor saw him run by with the firemen," says Father Michael Duffy. "Giuliani says he grabbed his arm and stopped the friar, saying, 'Mychal, please pray for us.' And Mychal just looked at him with a big grin and said, 'I always do!' And then he turned and ran off with his firefighters, right to the tower, and that's where he died."
There were conflicting early reports of the exact circumstances of Father Judge's death. Cassian Miles, O.F.M., communications director for the Holy Name Province, confirmed with the fire department battalion leader on-site at the World Trade Center that Mychal indeed was anointing a firefighter and the woman who had fallen on the firefighter.
The priest, a bottle of holy water in hand, went to work. Within minutes, he was tending to Danny Suhr, a 16-year Fire Department veteran killed by a body falling from the north tower.
Father Judge removed his helmet to begin the last rites. His prayers ended when he was mortally wounded by a falling chunk of debris. Father Judge's body, according to Father Miles, revealed severe injury to the back of the head…
"You know what I want for Christmas? You know what I really want? Absolutely nothing! I have everything in the world."
"Stay out of tomorrow. God hasn't created it yet."
Father Mychal
Village Voice, September. 19-25, 2001.
Whatever his shortcomings or sins, Fr. Judge died heroically on September 11, 2001 in the line of duty as a chaplain for the New York Fire Department. I won't speculate as to his eternal state, but he should be remembered and honored by the living for his courage, as should the other firemen, policemen, and EMT personnel who died that day.
Did you ever consider...that....hmmm...the "Christian" in my post name...could be...my...oh, I don't know...
NAME?
And as for the "self-righteous" part...I don't feel the need to "out" dead priests' sexual preference, as you do. It just doesn't rank high on my list of things to do in a day. The fact that it does for you, speaks more about you than it does about me.
I guess my problem with Fr. Judge is this. It's not really that he was "gay" etc....but that he worked to tear down Catholic Doctrine of Sexuality......I think the destruction of this doctrine has lead to great evil in the world, promoscuity, the devaluing of life, abortion, std's, the breakdown of family life, divorce, etc.........so for me, his actions on Sept. 11th do not outweigh his destructive actions in taking up the priesthood and then working from the inside to destroy the Church. I feel very strongly on this issue. I believe a man should be remembered the totality of his life, not just the last part. Certainly forgiveness and redemption is an essential part of life and we should not hesitate to extend love and compassion, but it is clear that what Fr. Judge advocated and lived was very dangerous and destructive.
I am hardly "outing" Fr. Judge....indeed try googling him and every single article you will read about him will prominently include these words "gay activist."
Pssst...by the way, I think Elton John may be a little light in the loafers as well! har har har
A little advice, "watsonfellow", if you can receive it.
I live in America. I work for a living. As such, I don't have all day to do research on priests who died in the line of duty (giving last rites to those killed in a terrorist attach), to see what their sexual orientation was.
He's dead. Whatever judgement happened to him (or didn't happen) is/was up to the Ultimate "Judge", and that's that.
I'm interested to see that you find people's choice of sexual orientation funny...or perhaps the "har har har" at the end of your last post to me, was a hurried attempt to spell "Hark" three times, but you were so anxious to tell me who else you found out was homosexual and famous, you forgot to add the "k" all three times.
It's just my opinion. I don't need to google him. I don't need to condemn him, nor do I want to do so. I guess you do. Welcome to the arena of free speech...and I freely disagree with you.
Watson--- You wrote that you knowledge of Judge's pedophilia comes from a "second hand" source, an attorney connected somehow to the Diocese. It seems to me that this source is more removed than second hand (unless he was a witness). It also occurs to me that, if in fact he is an attorney with Church connections, he is a remarkably untrustworthy individual to be discussing these assertions with you (or anyone), especially given your desire to let the world know what you "know" about this dead man.
attach==attack
From last rant
Thanks, gubamyster. Now THIS is what I call an informed post (link).
I see you sent a copy of this to He Who Lives Under a Bridge...or is that where trolls live?
I would like to know the name of the low life.
The man gave his life assisting a fellow fireman on America's darkest day equal with Pearl Harbor, yet there is always some sick, demented schmuck which must attack such a saint & hero of man.
Thank you for posting your comments regarding Father Mychal.
If someone like you, yea, even you, was near death after Islamic terrorists attacked America, Father Mychal would have reached out to assist you, even you, if it meant losing his own life in the process, 'watsonfellow'.
You shoved both feet in your mouth with your blather on this thread.
And spoiled an otherwise touching tribute.
I agree with that statement.
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