9/11: Remembering Franciscan Father Mychal Judge

PHOTO | RICH GIGLI

HERO AT GROUND ZERO  Franciscan Father Mychal Judge hugs and trades smiles with a parishioner of St. Joseph Parish in West Milford where he served as pastor from 1979 to 1985. Father Judge served as a New York City fire chaplain from 1992 until he was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

WEST MILFORD  In the 20 years since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, people of the Diocese still remember Franciscan Father Mychal Judge — the first listed causality of the attacks at the World Trade Center and now known as the “Saint of 9/11” — for using his considerable gifts as an “everyday saint.”

Mary O’Neill is one of the many parishioners of St. Joseph Church here, who still recalls the beloved priest’s sense of welcome, compassion, and humor that endeared him to them, while he served as the faith community’s pastor from 1979 to 1985. The parish secretary, O’Neill came to St. Joseph’s in 1977.

“Father Mychal was kind and loving. He was outgoing and funny at times. He was also helpful. He was always there if you needed him. It felt comfortable to be around him,” O’Neill said. “Parishioners loved him. We were sorry, when he left St. Joseph’s,” she said.

Over the years, Father Judge has been honored for his heroism, during the 9/11 attacks — selflessly ministering and praying with the firefighters he served as the World Trade Center was sustaining serious damage around them — and for his dedication as a Franciscan priest.

In 2016, Bishop Emeritus Serratelli blessed a Father Judge memorial in the cemetery of St. Joseph Parish. The monument in West Milford incorporates a twisted remnant of a steel beam that was recovered from the World Trade Center site and is embedded in its marble base. Engraved on the front of the memorial is “Mychal’s Prayer”: “Lord, take me where you want to go. Let me meet, who you want me to meet. Tell me what you want me to say and keep me out of your way.”

As in past years, Franciscan Father Daniel Grigassy, pastor of St. Bonaventure Parish in Paterson and a friend of Father Judge’s, will hold a prayer service at his grave, located in the Franciscan section of Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Totowa. Father Judge preached at Father Grigassy’s first Mass. This year’s service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 12:30 p.m.

“Father Mychal was a wonderful human being and a pleasure to be with. He was other-centered and not concerned about himself. His mission was to be Christ to others,” said Father Grigassy, who noted that the late priest’s “Mychal’s Prayer” embodies that mission.

Born on May 11, 1933 to Irish immigrant parents in Brooklyn, Father Judge entered the seminary in 1948, was admitted to the Francis­can novitiate in Paterson in 1954, and was ordained a Franciscan priest in 1961. Drawn to the poor and suffering, he ministered to AIDS patients, recovering addicts, and the homeless without judgment. He served many parishes in New York and New Jersey.

Throughout his ministry Father Judge demonstrated his extraordinary priestly gifts, during a few harrowing experiences. He talked a man out of jumping off the Brooklyn Bridge. He talked an ex-convict into releasing four hostages — his wife and three children — he was holding at gunpoint in Carlstadt, according to previous new reports.

In 1992, Father Judge was appointed a New York City fire chaplain. He gave encouragement and prayers at fires, rescues, and hospitals, and counseled firefighters and their families, often working long hours. When Trans World Airways Flight 800 exploded off Long Island in 1996, Father Judge consoled families of victims, according to news reports.

“His whole ministry was about love. Mychal loved the fire department and they loved him,” one fire official said.

In the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the poignant photo of Father Judge’s body being carried from the World Trade Center was beamed around the world and touched people’s hearts all over the globe. Even before he died at 68 years old, many people viewed him as a living saint, because of his great works of charity and deep spirituality. Today, some faithful are asking for the Church to open the cause for his sainthood.

Many parishioners of St. Joseph’s have talked about Father Judge’s friendly, open, and larger-than-life personality that lit up a room. Often wearing brown sandals — traditional Franciscan footwear, he could connect with people on a deep level, accepted everyone and himself for who he was, and could make people feel like they were his best friends, they said.

In a previous issue of The Beacon, Dolores Galanaugh, a longtime St. Joseph’s parishioner, said that Father Judge “related to people and he just made everyone feel great. The children really looked up to him. His main philosophy was, ‘If you have love in your heart, you have everything,’ ”

While in West Milford, Father Judge also shared his life with everyone.

“At the time when he came, we had several accidents with our young people involving drinking and he was brave enough to come out and say he was once an alcoholic. His story had a great influence on them and he was very compassionate,” said Galanaugh, who noted that it was Father Judge’s ambition to visit each and every house of his parishioners in West Milford. “He would joke he had nine parties in one day,” Galanaugh said, laughing.