The Ultimate Bus Trip

The Ultimate Bus Trip

by

JC Sullivan



When New York Fire Department Chaplain Father Mychal Judge, O.F.M., lost his life on that fateful September day in the year 2001, Akron, Ohio resident John Ferguson was so moved by what happened he was inspired to write a song. The song honors Father Mychal Judge and the thousands who lost their lives. John and his fellow band members from Fergie and the Bog Dogs produced a CD "A Song For Fireman Father Mychal Judge."

"When I got the news about how he died, which was kind of reported along with everything else, everything kind of stopped there for me," he said. "Goodness, a Catholic priest who was administering the last rites of the Church for a fallen Firefighter; it was all in sync with my culture as an Irish-American" Ferguson has memorialized Fr. Judge, who was a first-generation Irish-American. "I think he should be remembered in the lore of the Church in this nation. Children and adults should look up to a man like this - a modern day hero."

Events overtook the artist and the idea of supporting the Franciscan Fund for Father Mychal took on a life of its own. "When I actually started out with the Fund I didn't contact anybody, I didn't talk to anybody," he said. "I just wanted to one day take the song to his New York firehouse." The fund drive is kind of a spin-off, a secondary thing in his mind from when he started out. "I think Father Mychal should be remembered in the lore of the Church in America and I wanted to be involved in some way...and that's what I'm doing now. As time goes by I find I've been sent down the road on a quest. It's a mystery to me...it kind of stopped me cold.”

After the song came together Fergie, as his Hibernian brothers and sisters call him, discussed it with his friend, Akron musician and accordionist Gordon Shaffer, who encouraged recording it. Volunteers immediately lined up behind the project. Ferguson and his fellow band members from Fergie and the Bog Dogs produced a CD-ROM, "A Song For Fireman Father Mychal Judge." Ferguson’s son Damon, an Akron Fire Department Lieutenant, backs him up on vocals, rhythm guitar and bass; Paddy Taylor, mandolin; Mike Gaffney, rhythm guitar and vocals, Bruce Samsol, vocals and keyboard; Frank Onusic, tin whistle. Dr. Dennis McCluskey, Akron, Ohio, paid for recording and studio time. Hugh Hearty, Fairlawn, Ohio, contributed the CD-ROMs themselves. The initial run of 500 was quickly gone.

Fergie was put in touch with Franciscan Father Patrick Fitzgerald, another New York City Fire Department Chaplain. "The Franciscans already have a memorial Fund set up." The Father Mychal Judge Fund will be used to provide emergency short-term financial assistance to those who suffered loss or injury on that day and in its aftermath, and on a longer term to reach out to those in need of continuing support. In particular, it will seek to assist those who are not included in established categories but whose needs are no less real, those who might otherwise "fall between the cracks."

"I started working in connection with them," Fergie said. "Fr Mychal was a first-generation Irish-American and was involved with immigration; it fit right into my interest. These funds collected will be available for all children - I heard there are some who lost both parents." Regardless of their citizenship status or their faith, nonetheless, Fergie knows a lot of them are Catholic kids from Catholic countries. "I would like them to know that if they need something they can go to the Franciscan friary."

The weekend of March 24, 2002 began about 0800 hours on Friday when a busload of men and women of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Ladies AOH, parked their vehicles at an Akron Fraternal Order of Police Lodge left on an Anderson Lines bus that was their transport for the next few days.

After rolling out of Akron, our Anderson Lines driver got on the PA system and introduced himself. “Please don’t call Mr. Bus Driver or Bus Driver guy,” he pleaded. “My name is “Skip.” That drew an immediate response from John Conley. “OK, Skip the bus driver,” he shouted. Fergie, the man whose inspiration lead up to this particular morning, kicked off the beginning of our trip with a prayer for safe travel and return. Someone had a box of donuts on the bus. It kept being passing back and forth like a beach ball at a Bruce Springsteen concert.

After a lengthy delay at the Lincoln Tunnel, because the Holland Tunnel was closed due to a fire, we arrived at our home for the next two days, the Pan American Hotel. Within the hour we were back downstairs for a ride to meet the brothers and sisters of New York Divisions 4 and 19. At Hibernian hall Baile na nGael, we were warmly greeted by President John Murphy and Treasurer Jerry Callahan, the latter being the gentleman responsible for a wonderful dinner of corned beef and cabbage and roast beef. He announced we had received a special Friday-in-Lent dispensation from local Hibernian Chaplains.

Fergie’s dream was realized on Saturday afternoon when he presented a $20,000.00 check for the Franciscan Fund to Father Fitzgerald at the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi on W. Thirty-First St in midtown Manhattan. The service was precluded by the combined bands of Fergie and the Bog Dogs and That Irish Band. Also in attendance were representatives from the Fallen Firefighters Foundation of America. Andy Woodward, Raleigh, NC. Gene Moore, Chaplain, Swift Creek, N.C. They had presented five vans to the NYFD. Fr. Fitzpatrick gave us a warm welcome and spoke fondly of his brother Franciscan. When later asked if he’d have us back next year he told us, “I’d have you back next MONTH!”

Lt. Patrick Concannon of the NYFD invited us across the street to Engine 1 and Ladder 24, where Fr. Mychal kept his Chaplain's car. Fergie, accompanied by his son Damien, an Akron firefighter, and Paddy Taylor on mandolin, sang the song for Fr. Mychal to the gathered firefighters. The moving event was capped off when Irene Uhalley sang, “God Bless America.” It brought tears to the eyes of a few. I am honored and proud to count all these fine folks as friends.

Before we headed back to the Pan American Hotel, Skip, the bus driver, took us to Ground Zero. My God, you cannot imagine. We passed the church where Fr. Mychal’s body had been taken and laid on the altar. The fence surrounding it was covered with pictures, memos and the like. A somber crowd walked around it, pausing to look at everything.

The scene reminded me of the Civil War battlefields of Antietam, Maryland and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and the Vietnam Wall in Washington, D.C. At Antietam, I was visited by an apparition in my hotel room. He carried a sword and harbored terrible anger. Just as there are “ghosts” at Antietam and Gettysburg, there is also remaining spiritual energy in New York City. While at Ground Zero, I said a silent prayer for those whose spirit, like those at our Civil War Battlefields, might still be lingering there, asking God to help them let go to join the forces in His light.

On Saturday evening we all gathered at an Irish pub called Cranberries on Grand Avenue in Elmhurst. Our local homebred talent, “That Irish Band” and “Fergie and the Bog Dogs” charged the atmosphere and energized the crowd. A complimentary buffet was set up for us by Cranberries owner, John Brown. We were honored with the arrival of a Hook and Ladder and FDNY firefighters.

You’ve heard “The Rest of the Story.” Now, there is plenty more to this evening that I’ll call “The Unwritable Story” because it cannot be printed. It will have to remain as part of the oral tradition of the Ohio AOH and Ladies AOH by the chosen few who participated in the event(s). I’m not talking about anything obscene here, of course. No, I’m only speaking of some events that those who were not there will not believe. You’ll have to ask around to find out. A little hint, you ask? OK – only one. Ask about the Chinese-American Army Sergeant home on leave. Due to air travel delays he missed his sister’s wedding. That’s all I’ll tell you. As I said, you’ll have to find out the Rest of the Story from those who were there.

We capped off our historic weekend on Sunday morning with a 10:15 Palm Sunday Mass at the historic Cathedral of Saint Patrick. Cardinal Egan celebrated the Mass and addressed the issue of pedophile priests. There were TV cameras in the church and reporters and protestors outside. If I were Bishop I wouldn’t have had the cameras in the Church. Of course, if you give the Press Conference outside they have the opportunity to ask their leading questions. Afterwards, a LAOH member said of the Cardinal, “He looked like a General” (as he stood his ground amidst cries in the mainstream media for him to resign.) All Hibernians agree that something has to be done about allegations of sexual abuse by priests and the way things have been handled but we all agree, too, that our faith remains as strong as ever.

We blew out a tire on the trip home, which caused a delay of about an hour and a half. I arrived home at 0115 hours, a bit tired but still energized by the events of the weekend. Like other Americans, the events of this experience only confirmed my previous feeling, we’re all New Yorkers!

Looking back over events, Ferguson, a humble man with a gentle spirit, said, “My cup has been filled.”

Contributions to the fund continue to arrive. The song for Fr. Mychal CD-ROM can be obtained by sending your inquiry to: John Ferguson JohnFergie8@aol.com.




Sullivan is a member of the St. Brendan Division of the AOH and has served in both State and National offices of the AOH.