Father Mychal Judge, born Robert Emmet Judge in Brooklyn, New York on May 11, 1933, was a Roman Catholic priest and the chaplain of the New York City Fire Department. He was the first official recorded victim of 9/11. He lost his life while ministering at Ground Zero. In June 2002, President Bush signed the Mychal Judge Act which grants federal relieve funds to survivors of 9/11, including same-sex partners.
Change in the Catholic Church:
Father Judge was a long-time member of the Catholic LGBT activist organization, Dignity, which advocates for change in the Catholic Church's teaching on homosexuality. There have been some calls for canonization of the late Father Judge. There has been no indication of the status of the requests within the Church.
