VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Freaktana A Major Disappointment

Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Marva It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

dquaranta-1 Mychal Judge was a disobedient priest who got so big that his order couldn't discipline him. Franciscans generally aren't their own boss, especially men who are both alcoholic and homosexual. Fr. Mychal went where he wanted, spent money the way he wanted, and set his own schedule doing whatever he pleased.If Fr. Mychal had really been a friend to black people, he might have used his office as Fire Department chaplain to address discrimination in hiring in the lily-white FDNY. There's a real moral issue there, especially since so many of New York's firefighters don't live in New York. He wouldn't have been quite so popular if he'd shown some genuine spiritual leadership.He's a hero of our distinctly unheroic times. I don't expect the Vatican to put a rush on canonizing him. They don't often do that for people with a unique spiritual vision that's at odds with Church teaching.

mychalsprayer Father Mychal Judge's self-identity as a gay man was a crucial motivation for his remarkable outreach to other outcasts of society.Despite a handful of deniers, the evidence that Fr. Mychal Judge self-identified as gay, though chaste and celibate, is irrefutable. For a discussion of the conclusive facts, visit http://SaintMychalJudge.blogspot.com (then click "Gay Saint" at the top). Most of the world first heard of Fr. Mychal Judge on September 11, 2001. Yet even prior to his heroic death, Mychal was widely seen by many New Yorkers as a living saint for his deep spirituality and his extraordinary work with the homeless, recovering alcoholics, people with AIDS, immigrants, gays and lesbians, and other social outcasts.Mychal's saintliness was not one of outward piety, though he did have an intimate relationship with God. Nor did he march in lockstep with the church hierarchy. Like his spiritual father, St. Francis of Assisi, Mychal reported to a Higher Authority.Mychal's sainthood was in his unconditionally loving presence with all he encountered -- with heavy doses of playful humor thrown in. This is well portrayed by the film."Saint of 9/11" is powerfully inspiring but not sappy. It focuses more on his life than his death. Unfortunately, its 80 minutes can only begin to scratch the surface of his remarkable story. Viewers may also want to read Michael Ford's biography, "Father Mychal Judge: An Authentic American Hero."

dbborroughs The life of Franciscan Friar Mychal Judge is celebrated in this moving documentary. Mychal Judge was New York City Fire Department Chaplin and he died on the collapse of the Twin Towers. More a friendly look back at the man than a deep probing expose this is the kind of memorial that everyone of us would love to get but very few of use do, and even less of us deserve. There is no doubt that Judge deserves it. Here is a man who ministered to not only the firemen of New York but also the sick, the homeless and the outcast. He did what he felt was the right thing no matter how the church felt simply because he "knew" thats what Christ would have done. Its a wonderful story told mostly by his friends with a little assist from Ian McKellan as the narrator and the voice of Father Judge.If the film has any flaw its simply that its too in love with its subject. He is, for lack of a better term, a saint with almost no flaws. Anything that might be considered a flaw, say his alcoholism or his homosexuality, are beaten back with a mere waive of his hand, or so it seems. Its a nice thing to celebrate the man, but his "perfection" becomes trying.Still this is a very good documentary. If you need proof that not all men are evil, this is the film to see.

kmw1962 This quote comes from a Fransiscan Brother for whom Father Mychal Judge was a mentor.The people interviewed for this documentary are not the erudite, intelligent and moral but for the most part the dregs of society, the lost souls and the outcasts. Sure NYFD guys and fellow priests are there but the stories told about him in this film are mostly by drunks, addicts, the homeless, sick and the poor.This film is a reminder of what being a Christian is actually about without the preaching and proselytizing. While 9/11 is featured at the beginning of this film and again toward the end (Father Mychal held a Mass for many NY Firefighter on September 10 from which most of the film of him as a priest is taken), the documentary is really about a man and his works.