I’ve just come upon this thread, and wish to clarify and comment on several points.
Father Mychal Judge was born Robert Emmet Judge of two Irish parents who immigrated from County Leitrim to New York in the 1920’s. He chose Mychal as his priestly name when he became a Franciscan. Mychal was a dual citizen; he held an Irish passport and citizenship, and often visited Ireland.
Father Mychal was “selectively open” about his being gay, although by all accounts he remained chaste and celibate. However, he clearly disagreed with official church teaching on the issue. He blessed and supported committed same-gender relationships asking, “Is there so much love in the world that we can afford to discriminate against any kind of love ?!”
This often annoyed the diocesan hierarchy. But like his spiritual father St. Francis of Assisi, Mychal reported directly to a Higher Authority, as evidenced by several miraculous healings through his intercession.
Even prior to his heroic death on 9/11, Father Mychal was widely seen by many New Yorkers as a living saint for his deep spirituality and his extraordinary work with the homeless, recovering alcoholics, people with AIDS, immigrants, gays and lesbians, and others, as well as the firefighters. He was a most gifted, holy, and humble friar.
Several responses to RoyalOsiodhachain’s points.
Mychal Judge did not die as a martyr for the faith, but he certainly qualifies as a “martyr of charity”, having freely risked and given his life in the service of Christ.
You are incorrect in stating that “Father Mychal did not rush to harms way either as he was only incidentally at the scene.” In fact, he was given several opportunities to leave the most dangerous zone, the WTC lobby, where people were being killed by falling concrete and jumping bodies. Although he was not needed there for fire-rescue purposes, he declined to leave saying, ”My work here is not finished.” Thus he freely put himself in harm’s way, above and beyond the call of duty, and died a true hero.
You are also incorrect in stating that no miracles have been attributed to Mychal’s holiness. In fact, there have been at least three medically-documented miraculous healings through his intercession; one while he was alive, and two after his death.
You are correct that the Vatican has not yet formally canonized him a Saint. However, by the older tradition of the Church (until the 14th century), Mychal Judge has already been declared a Saint by widespread acclamation of the faithful.
I invite you to read more about these and other aspects of Mychal Judge’s life and death on my website,
SaintMychalJudge.blogspot.comAlso, Michael Ford’s biography, “Father Mychal Judge: An Authentic American Hero,” is inspiring reading.
Yes, Jesus Christ will judge Mychal Judge “according to his lifestyle,” as the previous poster puts it. But his “lifestyle” was fully alive and holy in Christ, and he continues to be a powerful spiritual influence in the lives of thousands, from the other side.