Father Mychal Judge: An Authentic American Hero

by Michael Ford

Overview

This spiritual portrait of Father Mychal Judge is a remarkable testimony to the hope and courage that he brought to thousands of people. Not only as the New York City fire chaplain during the attack on the World Trade Center, where along with so many firefighters his life was brought to a tragic end, but also to the wide-ranging people to whom he ministered.

Featuring exclusive interviews with some of his closest friends and associates, the book explores the inner life of New York's popular and charismatic Franciscan who has become an overnight American hero.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781616433109
Publisher:	\
Publication date:	09/01/2002
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

Editorial Reviews

Father Mychal Judge became an instant American hero when he died while administering the "last rites" to a victim of the September 11 World Trade Center attacks, but even before that grim day, there was much about the Franciscan priest to commend to posterity. Through interviews with fellow friars, close friends and others, Ford, a BBC journalist specializing in religious affairs and author of a 1999 biography of the late Henri Nouwen (Wounded Prophet), tells why the New York City fire chaplain was beloved by many, while infuriating others. A recovering alcoholic and an acknowledged homosexual who struggled with living a chaste, celibate life, Father Judge was known to those he served as a passionate advocate of the downtrodden and suffering. Although he had a penchant for attracting and even seeking the limelight, friends recall him as a humble man in touch with his own humanity. Ford boldly compares him to the founder of the Franciscans, St. Francis of Assisi, who was said to bear the stigmata, or wounds of Christ's crucifixion. Ford even seems to suggest that Father Judge's homosexuality was comparable to the stigmata, a simile that, while poetic, may be a bit of a stretch for some readers. Ford has done his best to paint a complete picture of the man, though many of the recollections he includes are rather repetitive. Despite that, this is an intriguing biography that should hold appeal for a wide readership. (Sept.) Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

This is a timely biography recounting the life of 68-year-old Father Mychal Judge, a New York City fire chaplain who died on September 11, 2001, while administering to New York's "finest" at the World Trade Center site. A Franciscan friar living in midtown Manhattan, Judge had many pastoral responsibilities, never allowing age or failing health to prevent him from priestly service. The text by Ford (Wounded Prophet: A Portrait of Henri J.M. Nouwen), a BBC journalist and broadcaster in religious affairs, is filled with personal accounts of friends and colleagues that are beautifully incorporated into a chronological narrative extolling the character and life of Judge. This honest portrayal doesn't hide the friar's struggle with alcoholism or the reality of his homosexuality. Breaking stereotypes and prejudices, this wounded healer has become a model of self-sacrifice and priestly integrity. Ford concludes the biography with a bibliography of the books referenced, archival news articles, and videos. Recommended for larger public libraries.-John-Leonard Berg, Univ. of Wisconsin, Platteville Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

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