september 11 2001

Pope Francis Remembers, Prays at 9/11 Memorial and Museum

‘Safe With Him’: What We Can Learn from Father Mychal Judge

The first picture I ever saw of Father Mychal Judge was a photo of his dead body. In the days following 9/11, I was haunted by the image of four men carrying the New York City fire department chaplain away from the Twin Towers. With the firefighters he served, Judge answered the calls for help, only to lose his life at Ground Zero. He was the first registered death of 9/11.

At first, I saw him as a tragic figure, a searing example of this country’s wounds. Since learning about his life, though, my perspective has shifted. Now I see him as a symbol of compassion, a vivid example of what it means to heal and be healed.

The Soul and September 11

Though the actual events lasted mere minutes, the fall of the World Trade Towers continues to reverberate in the lives of all Americans, particularly those…