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View Full Version : A September 11, 2001 Story


Sam
09-11-2010, 10:18 AM
Well, today is September 11. Nine years ago Muslim terrorists launched a series of coordinated suicide attacks upon the United States. On that morning, 19 Islamic terrorists hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners. The hijackers intentionally crashed two of the airliners into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, killing everyone on board and many others working in the buildings. Both buildings collapsed within hours, destroying nearby buildings and damaging others. The hijackers crashed a third airliner into the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. The fourth plane crashed into a field near Shanksville in rural Pennsylvania after some of its passengers and flight crew attempted to retake control of the plane, which the hijackers had redirected toward Washington, D.C. There were no survivors from any of the flights.

The death toll of the attacks was 2,996, including the 19 hijackers. The overwhelming majority of casualties were civilians, including nationals of over 70 countries. In addition, there is at least one secondary death – one person was ruled by a medical examiner to have died from lung disease due to exposure to dust from the World Trade Center's collapse.

Muslims all over the world rejoiced at what seemed like a great victory over the infidels living in the U.S. and now wish to build a memorial to their victory on that site.

Thousands of people lost friends and loved ones.
Today, many of us will remember that day and what we were doing when we heard about the aircraft flying into the twin towers and into the Pentagon.

We've heard stories of bravery and loss and stories of answered prayer and divine intervention from that day.

This is the story of a Roman Catholic priest who was officially listed as "Victim 0001."
He was known as "Father Mike" to many and he died ministering to the dying on that day.

Mychal F. Judge was born May 11, 1933 and died September 11, 2001. He was the first recorded victim of the Muslim terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.

He was born Robert Emmet Judge in Brooklyn, NY the son of poor Irish Catholic 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, he shined shoes at New York Penn Station.

At the age of 15, Judge began the formation process to enter the Franciscan community. Upon entering the Order of Friars Minor, he took the religious name of Michael. He later changed the spelling to Mychal. In 1957, he graduated from St. Bonaventure University, 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. At some time he became an alcoholic but in 1978, with God's help and the support of Alcoholics Anonymous, he became sober. For the rest of his life he continued to share his personal story of alcoholism and to help others facing addiction. He was 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.

Upon hearing the news that the World Trade Center had been hit by hijacked jetliners, Judge rushed to the site. He was met by the Mayor of New York, 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. Judge 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, including Judge.

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 police officer, two firefighters and an OEM responder carrying out their fallen spiritual leader. See attached picture.

Father Judge's body bag was labeled "Victim 0001," recognized as the first official victim of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Former President 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 over by Archbishop Edward Egan. Clinton said his death was "a special loss. We should live his life as an example of what has to prevail." Judge was buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Totowa, New Jersey. He was survived by two sisters, Erin McTernan and Dympna Jessich.

A campaign was begun by several American Catholics for the elevation of Father Mychal Judge to sainthood. His helmet was presented to Pope John Paul II. France awarded him the Légion d'honneur. The U.S. Congress nominated him for a Presidential Medal of Freedom. On July 27, 2002, the Orthodox-Catholic Church of America canonized Judge as St. Mychal the Martyr. See attached picture.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no man than this,that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13) Mychal Judge lived his life by serving others and died in the same way. In this way his life reflected his Lord and Savior.

There is a prayer that Mychal Judge is said to have prayed every day which goes as follows:

"Lord, take me where you want me 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."