by Katie Vasquez
The streets around the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph came to a standstill on Friday, as more than a thousand of New York City’s bravest offered their final farewell to Monsignor John Delendick.
The FDNY chaplain served the department for nearly 30 years and his passing has had a profound effect on everyone who attended his funeral.
He was a priest, but to the FDNY, he was one of their own.
“With his quick wit and sometimes sharp tongue he easily blended in with our members,” said FDNY Commissioner Laura Kavanagh.
Family, friends, and fellow firefighters filling up the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph to say goodbye to Monsignor John Delendick at his funeral mass on Friday.
“To Monsignor’s family, I want to say that we thank you for sharing him with us and I hope these words of remembrance are a source of great consolation,” Diocese of Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan.
Monsignor Delendick was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Brooklyn in 1977, serving as a pastor at multiple parishes for more than 40 years.
“The life of Monsignor John Delendick was a living gospel for so many people,” said Pastor of St. Camillus-St. Virgilius Pastor, Monsignor Richard Ahlemeyer.
In 1996, he was made a chaplain to New York’s bravest and five years later he would face the unthinkable, the terrorist attacks of September 11th.
“He offered blanket absolution to anyone and everyone he met that day,” said Kavanagh.
Whether at Ground Zero, or a funeral, or a memorial, Monsignor Delendick was there for the members of the New York City Fire Department, helping them make sense of that tragic day.
Like many who were around that toxic dust, he was eventually diagnosed with a 9/11 related illness, pancreatic cancer.
“The cancer he said made him a better chaplain because he understood the roller coaster of emotion that comes with such news,” said Kavanagh, “frustration and anger, appreciation and gratitude.”
Monsignor Delendick is now one of the thousands of first responders who have died since 9/11, a number that now exceeds the amount of people who died that day.
Despite his sickness, Monsignor Delendick faithfully served his flock till his death last Thursday on Thanksgiving.
Described by many at the mass as a man who loved to eat, they found it fitting since being around a table was one of his favorite gathering places.
“Whether in a restaurant, a firehouse or a rectory table. All who met John went away better and happier,” said Monsignor Ahlemeyer.
Monsignor Delendick was taken to his final resting place at St. John’s Cemetery in Middle Village.
His legacy will live on, a plaque honoring him will be added to the “Wall of Remembrance” at the FDNY headquarters in downtown Brooklyn.