by Father Cezariusz Jastrzebski
At John F. Kennedy International Airport, where thousands of travelers pass through each day, and aircraft depart for destinations around the world, a solemn moment of prayer recently took place beside a Delta aircraft on the tarmac.
Our Lady of the Skies Chapel at JFK Airport was asked to provide a Catholic prayer service for airport workers mourning the loss of one of their colleagues.
The prayer service was offered for a longtime member of the airport workforce whose colleagues wished to honor his memory with faith, respect, and gratitude.
Members of the airport community gathered near the aircraft in silence and respect, wearing safety vests marked with words of honor and remembrance.
The setting was unusual yet deeply fitting for the mission of the Church. For those who work at JFK, the airport is not only a place of travel and operations.
It is also a community — a place of long hours, demanding work, friendship, sacrifice, and shared responsibility. When one member of that community dies, the loss is felt by many.
I led the workers in prayer and offered words of consolation, telling them the chapel exists for moments like this, and reminding them that the Church must be present not only when people come to us, but also when people need us in the places where they work, grieve, serve, and remember.
One airport worker said the presence of the chapel meant a great deal to the grieving community.
“It meant a lot to us that the chapel came to us,” the worker said. “We needed a moment to pray together and remember our friend.”
The gathering reflected the unique mission of airport chaplaincy in the Diocese of Brooklyn: The Church is present not only in the chapel, but also among the workers who keep JFK moving every day.
Our Lady of the Skies Chapel serves travelers, airline employees, airport workers, security personnel, families, and all who seek a quiet place of prayer in the middle of a busy and often stressful environment.
The prayer service on the tarmac was a visible reminder that the mission of the Church extends beyond parish walls.
In a place usually defined by movement, schedules, and departures, the airport community paused to honor a life, support one another, and place their grief before God.
At JFK, Our Lady of the Skies Chapel continues to remind the airport community that no worker, traveler, or grieving family stands alone before God.
The chapel will continue to support the JFK Airport community through prayer, pastoral care, and outreach.
This mission will also be supported by the upcoming 2026 Our Lady of the Skies Chapel Luncheon, which will take place on Oct. 16, at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, New York.
The luncheon will help sustain the chapel’s mission of presence, consolation, and service.
Father Cezariusz Jastrzebski is the chaplain at Our Lady of the Skies Chapel at JFK Airport.