St. Patrick & St. Mychal

St. Patrick's Day 2006 is a very special day for New Yorkers and America.

It’s the last St. Patrick’s Day before New Yorker, Irishman, priest, personality and FDNY chaplain Father Mychal Judge will be officially eligible for Sainthood in the Church he dedicated his life to, and for whose people and friends he gave his life.

Mychal died on September 11th, 2001 at the World Trade Center. He was officially the first death in the 9/11 attack.

You remember the photo of his body being carried away, the modern-day Pieta, and since that time, many people have memorized the prayer he wrote and passed around. And since that day, his life, work, spirit and deeds have led many to declare that he should be canonized as a saint in his Roman Catholic Church.

That and the fact that he performed miracles.

September 11th, 2006 marks five years since his death. The Church usually maintains a five-year waiting period before considering someone for sainthood. They’ve waived the five-year rule for many would-be saints. they wouldn’t waive it for Mychal.

For political reasons.

Because of the Church’s attitude, many good Catholics say that Mychal is too good to be judged by its leaders; that he’s a people’s saint and that’s good enough.

But the Saint Mychal movement goes strong.

The life of Mychal Judge is extraordinary. His death was a gift. And at a time when the image of the Catholic priest is at its lowest, his is a legacy that the Church should cherish.

And guy performed miracles.

On this St. Patrick's Day, listen to America’s greats Irish rock band, Black 47, listen to their song, Mychal, check out the St. Mychal message board, and raise a glass to Father Mychal Judge.