Presented in memory of Father Mychal Judge, O.F.M. The Franciscan priest and chaplain of the New York City Fire Department was a source of spiritual inspiration to New York’s Bravest. He gave his life ministering to others on Sept. 11, 2001.

Franciscan Father Brian Jordan, O.F.M., is a member of Holy Name Province of Franciscans which is based in New York City. A personal friend of Father Mychal Judge, O.F.M., for 25 years, he last spoke to him during morning prayer on Sept. 11, 2001.

Brooklyn-born and bred, Father Jordan is third generation Irish-American, tracing his maternal roots to County Kerry, and paternal line to Wexford. He attended Blessed Sacrament School, Cypress Hills; St. Agnes H.S., Rockville Centre; Siena College, Loudonville, where he met the Franciscan friars and eventually joined the Order of Friars Minor. He graduated from the Washington Theological Union and was ordained in Silver Spring, Md., in 1983. He is fluent in Spanish.

His assignments have included parish ministry both as a parochial vicar and a pastor; shrine church ministry among Latinos, young adults and undocumented immigrants; community activist for the homeless and incarcerated; chaplain for union construction workers and clergy
liaison for the NYPD.

He also conducted many medical missions to both South and Central America. He has received numerous awards for his community service.  He has completed 61 marathons – 21 were the New York City Marathon where he loved running in Brooklyn. He has received a Doctor of Ministry degree from Andover Newton Theological School and a Master of Professional Studies in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.

Currently, he is the chaplain at St. Francis College, Brooklyn Heights.

He has written numerous articles for various journals throughout his priestly career. Recently, he has authored two books. The first is entitled “The Heroic Priesthood of Father William B. Farrell 1867-1930: Fighting Anti-Catholicism, Government Corruption and Waterfront Gangsters” (Edwin Mellen Press, June, 2017), the biography of a feisty Irish-American priest from the Diocese of Brooklyn from a century ago. The second is entitled “The Ground Zero Cross” (Xlibris Press, July, 2017), a memoir of his 13-year odyssey with the iconic World Trade Center Cross discovered amid the rubble in the aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001. He points out that at least one third who died that fateful day were Irish-American Catholics.