Solitude and Hope: Y'all Come Visit!

The documentary about Mychal Judge, the late FDNY chaplain who died in the 9/11 WTC tragedy, premiered this week to a large audience at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City. Some reviewers of the documentary, Saint of 9/11, have expressed the hope that it will get national distribution so that many others will be able to see it.

Judge was gay, which would have caused him to be barred from the priesthood under the current Pope. He closely guarded the knowledge about his sexual orientation, because he was keenly aware that it could become an obstacle to his work with some of the beloved firemen to whom he ministered.

For many, the remembrance of his labors with and on behalf of persons suffering with AIDS during the early years of the crisis means the most. Beginning in the early 1980s, when HIV first began to emerge with its fury of terror, Mychal Judge was there to care for those who were alone, isolated from society and abandoned by their families. His kindness serves as a role model for us all.

A moving memorial to Mychal Judge, and an introduction to the documentary about him, is presented by the Equality Forum.