Father Mychal Judge: The Firemens' Friar

[no_hypocrisy]

-snip-

Judge was gregarious, mischievous, a luminous presence; he thrived on movement and kept a preposterous schedule, as if he'd found a wormhole beneath the friary on West 31st Street that allowed him to be in six places at once. On any given evening, he might be baptizing a fireman's child, ministering to an aids patient, or listening to Black 47, a Celtic rock band that had a regular gig at Connolly's on West 47th Street. Judge got 30 to 40 messages a day on his answering machine. Every six months, he'd wear another machine out.

"He was the busiest person alive," says Joe Falco, a firefighter with Engine 1-Ladder 24, the company across the street from Judge's home. "He'd come back at all hours of the morning, blowing his siren so we could park his car. No one knew how he did it. No one understood how he maintained his energy."

The firemen loved him. He had an encyclopedic memory for their family members' names, birthdays, and passions; he frequently gave them whimsical presents. Once, after visiting President Clinton in Washington, he handed out cocktail napkins emblazoned with the presidential seal. He'd managed to stuff dozens of them into his habit before leaving the White House.

"I would break his chops constantly," says Falco. "I wouldn't treat him like a priest. I'd treat him like any other guy. It wasn't a priest-parishioner relationship. It was . . . you know, man to man. He'd help guys out with their marital problems. With every problem, big or small. You could go to him."

-snip-

http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/sept11/features/5372/

It's not so much how Father Judge died, but how he lived.

I just got back from a gravesite service in Totowa, NJ where Fr. Judge is buried. Just wonderful stories. Like how he literally climbed up on the George Washington Bridge to talk down a would-be jumper. How he would stop in traffic to ask about a fire fighter's son when he was on the way to an emergency. How he asked Mother Teresa for $40,000 for an AIDS hospice he wanted to open. And if you ever gave him a gift, he'd keep it for a couple of days and then give it to someone who needed it more.

[renate]

1. I watched "Saint of 9/11" last night--recommended

(streamed on Netflix, if anyone's interested in watching it too. It's narrated by Ian McKellan)

He was a such sweet guy who brought so many people comfort and peace. He really was all about love.

[AlecBGreen]

2. Thanks for sharing

:hi:

RIP brother

[hlthe2b]

3. His is the face I remember always when I think of 911

That iconic photo of his fellow firefighters carrying him out, never fails to bring tears. For those who have become so cynical about religion and want to suggest that all Christians are as hypocritical as the Xian fundies of the RW, all I can say is: Father Mychal Judge. He epitomizes to this admitted agnostic what Christianity is really all about. Bless him and keep him and may others learn from his example.

RIP, Father Judge. You are remembered and missed.

[texpatriot2004]

9. Powerful image. Thanks for posting it. nm

[WildEyedLiberal]

12. A modern Pieta

I cannot see this photo without crying. God bless Fr. Judge. Anyone who wants to know what Christ's message is about need only look at his life.

[sabrina 1]

20. Yes, he really was a genuine Christian. I just watched the documentary

linked above, and I saw what that word really means. Those who claim to be Christians while disseminating hatred for others, need to learn about this man.

An incredible picture. I am glad the photographer did not listen to the directions to stop filming.

[QC]

16. And here is an actual icon of Mychal.

Some are making the case for his sainthood, after all.

[DianaForRussFeingold]

4. Thanks, I know very little about him! K&R

:loveya: He asked Mother Teresa for $40,000 for an AIDS hospice? O8)Did he get that?:kick:

Here's a video I found from YouTube;

Sept. 6, 2011
Democracy Now.org - Hundreds of people marched the streets of New York City Sunday to honor the memory of Fr. Mychal Judge, the first recorded victim of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center. Judge, a New York City Fire Department chaplain, was 68-years-old when he was killed while giving last rites to a firefighter at the scene. He was a larger than life figure, with admirers and friends across the political and social spectrum, and whose life is commemorated in the acclaimed documentary, "Saint of 9/11." The film is notable for its effort to portray a half-hidden secret about the priest: he was gay. In his private diaries, the revered Catholic priest wrote of how, "I thought of my gay self and how the people I meet never get to know me fully." Democracy Now! speaks with Brendan Fay, longtime gay rights activist and independent filmmaker who produced "Saint of 9/11," and play excerpts from the documentary as well as his upcoming film, "Remembering Mychal."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XJFSz8pZQ4

[shireen]

5. i remember reading about him

what a lovely wonderful man ...

[sufrommich]

6. I remember him well. Thanks for reminding us. nt

[xchrom]

7. Bless you and thank you Father Judge. Nt

[texpatriot2004]

8. He sounds like a wonderful soul. May he rest in peace. nm

[sabrina 1]

10. He was an incredible person.

Just before 9/11, a friend in NYC found his little church as she was looking for something to help her at a difficult time in her life. She was not religious, but just went in and liked the quiet atmosphere where she felt, as she said, safe. She met Fr. Judge and got to know him and found herself going to Mass whenever he was the celebrant.

I remember her telling us about him and she brought out brochures about the work he was doing when she visited us. At the time, which was very close to 9/11, my brother's little girl was very ill. She had an incurable disease and was going to London for surgery in a last effort to save her life.

I asked my friend if she would ask Fr. Judge to say a prayer for my niece. She did. He asked for my niece's name so he could think about her on a more personal level when he prayed, he said. The next weekend, my friend told me, he mentioned her, remembered her name and asked the congregation to pray for her also. I was so touched by that as I didn't expect he would do more than just say 'bless you' or something, being as busy as he was.

I sent my mom the leaflets my friend had given him about his work and told her that a very special man was praying for her grand-daughter. She was very moved to learn that he had indeed remembered her.

Sadly my little niece, who did survive the surgery, did not live very long afterwards. But Fr. Judge died shortly after he remembered her in his prayers and before her death.

I was shocked when I learned of his death and saw that photo. I never met him, but he touched so many lives even of those he never met. A real hero and someone my family will always remember.

If he knew of all that has happened in the names of the victims of 9/11, he would be very sad I know. He was a loving and forgiving and caring person, the epitome of what a real Christian ought to be.

RIP Fr. Judge :cry:

[renate]

14. wow... thank you SO much for sharing this story

I'm so sorry about your little niece.

In "Saint of 9/11" Father Judge gave a beautiful sermon about the people who died on the TWA flight to Paris--I've tried typing out the words as best I can remember them and they sound totally corny so I won't do the disservice of repeating my poor effort here, but for anyone who's even remotely religious I would recommend watching the movie, because hearing those words spoken would surely have been very comforting to those who'd lost someone.

Again, I'm so sorry about your niece. :hug:

[sabrina 1]

18. Thank you, it was as very sad time, but my brother and her mom

and sisters all believe she is an angel now who watches over them. I was truly amazed though that he remembered her name, someone who he never knew or would know. What a great man.

I did not know about the sermon re the TWA flight. I will watch the movie. I did not know about it, thank you for telling us about it. :-)

[no_hypocrisy]

11. I forgot one story. Sorry.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_McDonald

Steven McDonald was a young police officer, a newlywed with a baby on the way. He was shot by a 15 year old and was left a paraplegic. Was on a breathing machine for a loooooong time.

Read the Wiki entry. At the service today, we were told that Fr. Judge became a special friend to Steve and to Patti. Steve went on to forgive the boy who shot him. I mean real forgiveness. It was from innumerable conversations with Fr. Judge.

Update: Steve still lectures all over the nation. Patti is mayor of Malverne (on Long Island) and Steve's son, Conor, is now a member of the NYC Police force.

[no_hypocrisy]

13. More pics

Friend of the homeless




Friend of the rejected spouses




Peacemaker in Ireland -- bombing survivors reached out to touch his robe




The happiest man on earth

[QC]

15. Imagine if we followed Mychal's lead rather than Bush's. n/t

[applegrove]

17. CBS had a special on 9/11 with footage from inside the North Tower when the fire crews first arrived

He looked really scared. Then the South Tower fell and he was killed. So sad.

[nadinbrzezinski]

19. He was a man following a path rarely followed.