Fr. Mychal Judge: Ground Zero Hero

By Deacon Keith A Fournier
9/11/2008
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)

When the news reports told of the Fire Department chaplain I was not surprised that it was Fr. Mychal Judge. He died the way he lived.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (Catholic Online) - I met Fr. Mychal Judge at LaGuardia Airport in 1999. I was out of breath, sweating and irritated. He was at peace.It was an unusually hot day, and I was literally running to make the plane. I almost missed the flight on Ireland's finest, Aer Lingus. Fr. Mike greeted me with that gregarious manner and those smiling Irish eyes that I would soon come to cherish because they revealed the essence of this wonderful priest of God.

"Glad to finally meet you, I have heard much about you," he said. "Cool down, you have made it." With those few words he calmed my spirit and seemed to lower my body temperature at least twenty degrees.I felt immediately comfortable in his presence. It was those smiling eyes and the presence of the God whom he served so well. Joy and peace seemed to emanate from those eyes.

We began a trip together that would forever change my view of life, the Church, the world and my own sense of a call to promote reconciliation in the Body of Christ, the Christian community and through her, to the world.I had been invited to be a part of a mission team to Northern Ireland called "Project Reconciliation" by Dennis Lynch, a friend and a true patriot.At the time I was serving the Presidential campaign of Steve Forbes. The mission (entirely funded by an anonymous gift from another great American whom I will now name�Steve Forbes) was a peace mission led by a contemporary hero of mine, Detective Steven McDonald.

Steven's story has been told and retold. I believe that it should be required reading for all who over the next few weeks seek to make sense out of the horrible violence that has besieged our beloved country.A police officer with a great career ahead of him, Steven had been on duty years ago as one of New York's finest. We have all experienced the quality of New York Officers over these last weeks.

While interrupting a robbery already in progress, young Steven McDonald was shot at point blank range by a young black assailant. He, his family, and many, many others would never be the same.Steven was rendered quadriplegic and left in a coma. During his extraordinary time of recovery, while he struggled with the understandable rage, anger and profound depression that often accompany such injury, the Lord visited with Steven and told him that forgiveness was the only path to peace.

When he was shot, Detective McDonald's beautiful wife, Patti Ann, was carrying their first child, a son, whom they would name Connor. All three of them carried someone else within their hearts, Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.Though faithful Catholics, they never imagined that their faith would be tested like the Saints, by the fire that came upon them on that violent day. But, like all saints and heroes, the fire itself forged them into the gold of heaven on earth.

Since the shooting, Steven has been an instrument of peace like Francis of Assisi. He proclaims to anyone who will listen from the weakest to the most powerful, that forgiveness is the only path to peace. And they do listen. Steven has visited several nations and has been given citizenship in his beloved Ireland.When Steven speaks, you have to listen closely because he has a tracheotomy tube for breathing and has to speak in a whisper. But he doesn't really have to use words; he has eyes that radiate the peace that fills his weakened body. Just his presence with his loving wife and son by his side speaks volumes about the mystery and beauty of forgiveness and love.

He began to learn the truth of the message himself when the Lord who had visited his bed asked him to first forgive the young man who had shot him. He did so out of obedience at first, but he found a joy unspeakable�an enemy became a friend. Since that day, Steven has been a peacemaker and has experienced the blessing promised to those who accept the invitation.

The whole McDonald family reached out to this young man and he became a friend of the family�until he himself was taken by a senseless act of street violence.So they continue their campaign for peace through forgiveness, traversing the globe with missionary zeal. They, like others who have trodden this path, have gathered friends around them.

One of those friends was Fr. Mychal Judge, a Franciscan priest who was the Chaplain to the Fire and Police Departments. Then Cardinal O'Connor (of blessed memory) was so moved by Steven's mission, that he asked Fr. Mychal to provide ongoing priestly care to this modern day missionary.They were, as my dear mother says, "two peas in a pod" Steven and "Fr. Mike." Two Irish men with smiling eyes, a love for Ireland (and America) and hearts full of laughter. Fr. Mychal loved Steven. He knew that though racked with constant pain, Steven had found the path to peace and the balm of the Saints.

He pushed Steven's wheel chair with both gratitude and a dignity ...

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1 - 6 of 6 Comments

Brett
2 years ago
I recently watched the documentary on Father Mike and was moved by the so many amazing things he did. He helped so many and did so much for people that no one else would think of helping. After watching that video it makes me want to do all that I can do to help thoughs who are in need. Why can't all people help do what Father Mike did? What would the world be like if we did follow in his foot steps?
P.J. Bradley
4 years ago
Fr. Mychal Judge, OFM

In or around the year 2000 I arrived, as usual, at the East Door of Parliament Buildings, Belfast and imagine my surprise when I saw Steven McDonald and Fr. Mychal Judge checking in at the East Door reception area. I was not even aware that they were due to visit The Assembly.

As part of a Peace Delegation they and a number of friends from the Bruederhoff society arrived at the front door of Parliament Buildings but as there was no ramp there to facilitate Steven�s chair they were directed towards the side door.

When the group of six or seven arrived at the side door they had to await the arrival of a Member of the House to sign them in.

I met Steven on a number of occasions in New York at St. Patrick�s Day time and I also met Fr. Mychal in the City each time in the company of Stephen.
What a privilege and personal delight that was for me to sign Fr. Mychal, Steven and their friends into Parliament Buildings.

I and my colleague Patricia Lewsley MLA stayed with the group and we attended a short prayer meeting in an anti-room on the first floor. Whilst there Steven delivered a message of peace to the people of Northern Ireland.

Photographs were taken in the room but much as I have tried I have been unable to obtain a copy of even one photograph of myself with Steven or the good priest.

I was reading up on Fr. Mychal when I came across your email address and I write in the feint hope that someone might be of assistance. A shot in the dark as we call it here in Ireland.

My inquiry is authentic. Should you wish to learn a little about me and my interests, please log onto my Website www.pjbradley.com

Best wishes.
P.J. Bradley.
Rachel Galloway "G.G."
4 years ago
Dear Deacon Fournier, Thank you for sharing your beautiful story with us. You are so blessed to have experienced such true love and joy. May God continue to bless you.
John M. Kelley
4 years ago
Even prior to his heroic death on 9/11, Fr. Mychal Judge was widely seen by many New Yorkers as a living saint for his deep spirituality and his extraordinary work not only with firefighters, but also with the homeless, recovering alcoholics, and some of the most rejected members of society. His work has been compared to Mother Teresa�s.

I truly believe that God granted him a glorious death so that the whole world would learn of his lifetime of holy and heroic imitation of Christ.

Many thousands pray for his intercession and already know him as a saint, doing God�s work from the Other Side. There are at least three medically documented miraculous healings, plus many thousands of spiritual and psychological healings, through Mychal�s intercession.

But I doubt we�ll live to see Mychal formally beatified/ canonized, and that�s OK. In the much older tradition of the Church for the first 14 centuries, Mychal is already recognized as a Saint through the widespread acclamation of the faithful. Ultimately, God confirms saints, not Rome.

As the previous poster points out, it�s true that Fr. Mychal Judge was open about his homosexual orientation, although he remained faithful to his vows. (See �A Gay Saint in fact� at
http://SaintMychalJudge.blogspot.com
Also, Michael Daly�s recent biography, The Book of Mychal, definitely settles these questions with quotes from Mychal�s own personal journals).

Mychal probably won�t be put up for formal canonization anytime soon because he disagreed in conscience with official teaching on same-gender relationships.

Mychal remained celibate because he had an authentic monastic vocation. But when it came to other people's committed same-gender relationships, he was very much the pastor, counseling such couples to resolve their conflicts, to strengthen their commitments, and to put God at the center of their unions. He often asked, �Is there so much love in the world that we can afford to discriminate against any kind of love ?!�

Mychal�s affirmative blessing of gay people annoyed the diocesan hierarchy. But in the end, like his spiritual father St. Francis of Assisi, Mychal reported directly to a Higher Authority.

All this would be a non-starter for Rome. Plus with Rome's recent directive that not even chaste, celibate homosexuals should be ordained to priesthood, Mychal Judge would be barred from priesthood today by any diocese or order following that directive. How ironic. God had no problem with Mychal�s orientation, but Rome does.

I invite readers to visit the http://SaintMychalJudge.blogspot.com site and learn more of this 20th century saint. You might begin with the section on �Faith, Hope, Love: Quotes by and about Mychal� for some powerful examples of Mychal�s complete surrender to God.

Here we have a modern follower of Christ who embodied St. Augustine�s exhortation, "You are the Body of Christ. In you and through you the work of the Incarnation must go forward. You are to be taken, to be blessed, broken, and distributed, so that you may be the means of grace and the vehicles of the Eternal Love."

+ Father Mychal Judge, pray for us.

John M. Kelley,
Editor,
Saint Mychal Judge
Rob
4 years ago
I just saw the film "Saint of 9/11" which featured Fr. Judge. The film made compelling arguments for his cause. However, it also made the claim with ample evidence that he was a homosexual and embraced homosexuality.
Liz Hale
4 years ago
Here�s the last Homily given by Fr. Mychal Judge, at a Mass on Sept. 10, 2001. Although directed to firefighters, we should all be inspired by his prophetic words --

From
http://SaintMychalJudge.blogspot.com

�You do what God has called you to do.
You go out and do the job.
No matter how big the call, no matter how small,
you have no idea of what God is calling you to, but
God needs you. He needs me.
He needs all of us.
God needs us to keep supporting each other,
to be kind to each other, to love each other.

�We love this job, we all do. What a blessing it is !
It�s a difficult, difficult job, but God calls you to do it,
and indeed, He gives you a love for it
so that a difficult job will be well done.

�Isn�t God wonderful ?!
Isn�t He good to you, to each one of you, and to me ?
Turn to God each day --
put your faith, your trust, your hope and your life in His hands.
He�ll take care of you and you�ll have a good life.
And this firehouse will be a great blessing
to this neighborhood and to this city.
Amen.�

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