Mychal F. Judge

Father Mychal was the first official victim of the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. An openly gay man, he championed the rights of gays and those afflicted with AIDS.

Father Mychal F. Judge, OFM (May 11, 1933-September 11, 2001) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Franciscan Order of Friars Minor, Chaplain of the Fire Department of New York and first official recorded victim of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack of the United States. An openly gay man, he was an impassioned advocate for gay rights and was one of the first priests in the world to conduct funeral masses for gay men afflicted with AIDS.

Early Years

Born Michael F. Judge in Brooklyn, he was the son of Irish immigrants from County Leitrim. At the age of six, he watched his father die of a slow and painful illness. To compensate for his father's inability to work, Father Mychal shined shoes at Penn Station. As he got older, Father Mychal became an alcoholic. It wasn't until 1978, with the support of Alcoholics Anonymous, that he was able to kick the habit. He continued to share his story of alcoholism to help others facing the addiction.

Franciscan Order of Friars Minor

At the age of 15, Fr. Judge began the formation process to enter the Franciscan community. Upon entering the Order of Friars Minor, he changed his first name to Mychal to distinguish himself from his fellow friars of the same name. In 1957, he graduated from St. Bonaventure's College, the Franciscan university near Olean, New York. In 1961, he was ordained a priest and assigned to service at St. Joseph's RC Church in East Rutherford and Sacred Heart in Rochelle Park, both in New Jersey. He then served as assistant to the president at Siena College in Loudonville, New York. Fr. Judge was later named pastor of St. Joseph's Church in West Milford, New Jersey before being appointed Chaplain of the Fire Department of New York in 1992.

World Trade Center, September 11, 2001

Upon hearing the news that the World Trade Center had been hit by hijacked jetliners, Father Mychal rushed to the site where he was met by Mayor Rudolph Giuliani who asked Judge to pray for the city and its victims. Judge then rushed to those lying on the streets to administer last rites, a traditional Roman Catholic sacrament for the dead and dying. It was while giving the holy sacrament to firefighter Daniel Suhr that Father Mychal removed his helmet and was struck by falling debris. He continued administering last rites even while injured. Father Mychal then entered the lobby of the World Trade Center north tower where an emergency services command post was organized. The south tower collapsed and debris filled the north tower lobby killing many inside.

American Pietà

Five individuals took Judge outside in their arms. Upon entering the outside courtyard, they propped his body in a chair they found to carry him down the outside steps. It was then that Reuters photographer Shannon Stapleton snapped one of the most famous images of the attack, of a policeman and firefighters carrying out their fallen spiritual leader.

Some individuals have heralded the photograph as an American Pietà, in reference to the marble sculpture by Michelangelo of the Blessed Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of Jesus. The sculpture is at the Basilica of Saint Peter in Vatican City.

Mourning and Honors

St. Francis of Assisi Church could not accommodate all mourners so thousands stood outside for Father Mychal's funeral mass.

Father Judge's body bag was labeled "Victim 0001," recognized as the first official victim of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Former President of the United States Bill Clinton was among the 3,000 people who attended his funeral, held on September 15 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Manhattan. It was presided by Archbishop Edward Egan. President Clinton said his death was "a special loss. We should live his life as an example of what has to prevail." Father Mychal was buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Totowa, New Jersey. He was survived by two sisters, Erin McTernan and Dympna Jessich.

A controversial campaign was begun by several American Catholics for the elevation of Father Mychal to sainthood. With his homosexuality a factor, the Vatican has resisted. His helmet was nevertheless presented to Pope John Paul II. France named him to the Legion of Honor. The U.S. Congress nominated him for a Presidential Medal of Freedom.

See Also

• List of Casualties of the September 11, 2001 Attacks

Further Reading

• Michael Ford, Father Mychal Judge: An Authentic American Hero, Paulist Press, 2002.

External links

• Saint Mychal, A Movement for Canonization (http://www.saintmychal.com)
• A Love Supreme, The Village Voice, October 10, 2001 (http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0141/humm.php)
• Fire Chaplain Becomes Larger Than Life, The New York Times, September 27, 2002 (http://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/27/nyregion/27SAIN.html)