Please click on the link below, and listen to the story from Morning Edition on National Public Radio:"Bury His Heart, But Not His Love"
Then write a short response to the story that can be emotional or analytical. Please also answer this question in your response: What can Father Duffy's homily for his slain friend teach us as writers?
This broadcast on NPR was about the death of the 1st (recorded) person who died on 9/11. My immediate reaction after Father Duffy began telling us about the life of Father Judge was shock. How could a person who left such a blameless life be the first to die? This question is answered by Father Duffy when he tells us that he died so that he could be the first to great all of those who would die within the tragic day. My favorite part of the broadcast was the end of Father Duffy's homily when he says "We can bury his heart, but not his love". This and the preceding lines in the homily all point to the one unifying fact about the homily; even after death Father Michael has left a legacy behind that effected thousands of people. I think Father Duffy's homily can teach us that the most powerful writing doesn't have to be lengthy, in fact, it can be very short. "We can bury his heart, but not his love". This line balances emotional, intelectual, and material aspects of writing in just one, powerful line. The homily ass a whole teaches us to write with purpose, that we should write about something important that we care about and love.
ReplyDeleteThe story on NPR is about the first certified fatality of 9/11, the Friar Michael Judge. Through the testimonies of NYPD officer Bill Cosgrove and Judge's fellow Friar, Michael Duffy, we really get a sense of Judge's personality. A great guy who "seemed to know everyone," his death is for sure a tragedy. Immediately after hearing the story, I began to think of the significance of why he was the first victim. Perhaps it signified the fact that no one could escape the day, not even those who had led exemplary lives. It could also symbolize the fact that starting with him, the deaths would affect everyone in New York City, especially since Judge "seemed to know everyone." The homily that Father Duffy gives at the end is especially interesting. At first he invokes humor, saying that writing a homily for Mother Teresa would be easier, and then works his way into the body of the homily. This can teach us as writers to not rush into things, but rather slowly deliver them. The homily can also show us that if we appropriately use humor, we can mix it into many different scenarios. Finally, and maybe the most important, the homily invokes an emotional connection with the reader, something very difficult to do in writing. As I listened, I felt like I had known Friar Judge, and that I was one of the people at the funeral. Through an emotional connection this homily shows us how important it is for writers to try to connect with the audience, and invite them into the situation.
ReplyDeleteI don't remember 9/11 all that well. Most of us were in Kindergarten when it happened. But as I got older I began to understand more because when we were little I don't think any of us could comprehend something like 9/11. Heinous things happened on 9/11, and it brought our country together. From the NPR broadcast a quote that stuck out to me was "Bury His Heart, But Not His Love." One of the closing sentences from Father Duffy's homily for his friend. It's such a powerful sentence. What Father Duffy did was make us get to know Father Judge. Like Trevin said, the part of Father Duffy's homily that had the most impact on me was the end. He did not make it lengthy, in fact, it was short. But the word choice made it feel for me that he told the entire story of Father Judge's life in just 6 words. I felt like I knew him by the end of the homily, even though that sounds a bit crazy. I feel like Father Duffy wrote the homily so that people could have a connection to Father Judge. For me, it teaches us as writers to think about the audience and write in a way that allows us to connect with people.
ReplyDelete9/11 was a devastating day for all of America; However, I did not personally know anyone is the accident. This story was so amazing that, like Rohan said, I feel as if I knew Friar Judge. I have watched videos on YouTube of the footage of the planes crashing into the towers and thought to myself "Wow, that actually happened." I don't mean to say that I was denying it had happened, but because I lived so far away and didn't know anybody involved, 9/11 always seemed more like something in a movie to me. I really enjoyed this homily because it added a sense of humor when honoring a truly incredible man. Father Duffy did this to show that we should be celebrating his life and all he did rather than just mourning his death. Friar Judge was a true character who chose to live simply and devote his life to helping others. One of my favorite parts of the homily was when Father Judge told Father Duffy "You know what I need? Nothing. I am the happiest man in the world." We sometimes get so caught up in material things that we don't see that we truly have everything we need. Seeing a man who lived so simply be so happy is truly inspirational. Trevin mentioned that Father Duffy had said that Father Judge died first so that he could receive the other victims and I really love that perspective on the situation. I think we can learn a lot from his homily because he took a tragic situation and chose to show the positive sides and honor Father Judges life.
ReplyDeleteWhen one thinks of 9/11, mainly the memories of the horror of the death toll are in the mind. I do not remember 9/11 very well, but I do know that it caused the deaths of many that will be remembered. This NPR broadcast about a priest with a lasting impact sort of changed my viewpoint of 9/11 however. I felt as if the unfortunate passing away of this priest was truly a sad event, there is still optimism; optimism that Father Judge would welcome the victims so as to not have a negative outlook; optimism that everything will be okay. Especially optimism that Father Judge's legacy will remain and be remembered. Father Judge's spirit, message, good works, and love are still supported.
ReplyDeleteAs a writer, I feel that this homily is very strategic and emotional. He ends the homily with a combination of very impactful phrases. They're very moving and motivating. It's almost as if I could see Father Judge smiling upon this speech; his legacy is as if it were alive. The ending was also very strategic because it sets up a strong sense of remembrance and responsibility towards Father Judge. It was enjoyable.
Also the way the speech is set up is nice. Father Duffy makes sure to relate Father Duffy to everyone. Even if we didn't know him personally, anyone listening to the speech would have felt as if they were included/a part of the funeral. I especially feel that's important for Father Judge since he helped everyone out - writing letters, giving advice, providing support.
I remember the day that the two planes crashed into the twin towers in New York City. I was in Kindergarten and I was at school that day and we ended up watching the events being replayed on the TVs in each classroom. I then remember all of the parents coming to pick us up from school and having the rest of the day off. I remember as such a juvenile kid, I thought of it as a day off from school. Only now do I think back and truly see how terrible this attack on the US was. The entire story from NPR was heart touching and brought back memories, but the most touching part was the homily. Even though we did not hear the entire thing, it really captivated what it would have been like to be there listening to Father Duffy speak about about his friend. The main thing that stuck with me, and so it seems everyone else, was the closing quote "Bury his heart, but not his love". This shows how kind and caring Father Judge was and how he has had a lasting effect on everyone he knew. This line of the homily has taught me something about writing. I as a listener had not met Father Judge, I still felt a sadness that he was gone, which is important to gather in writing. An emotional connection between the reader and the characters in your novel, book, etc. If there is an emotional bond between your readers and the characters, your triangle of balance for writing can be fulfilled in the emotional point, which is good to have.
ReplyDeleteWhen the planes crashed into the twin towers, many of us were just five or six years old. We didn't understand much about what was going. I remember watching the second plane crash, seeing the shocked look on my mom's face, but I didn't understand until she explained it to me. I agree with Trevin when he explains his feelings of shock. I felt the same way: how can such a holy man with no bad qualities be the first to die. I really liked what Father Duffy said about that. It was reassuring to hear his thoughtful words about Father Judge; he told all that the Father was sent first so he could welcome all to the Creator instead of being the one to send them to him. I think that made many people feel better about the deaths of their loved ones. Of course, they were all very sad that their loved ones were gone, but they had the reassurance that a man would be there to guide them to God. I think Father Duffy's homily was written out and spoken very nicely. I think that his homily is trying to show us to be thoughtful about what we write, and to try to make our writing addressable to all different types of people. Hearing Father Duffy's homily made me feel like I knew him. He was also able to make a balance between the emotional, intellectual, and material parts of the homily, which made it an extremely good piece of writing (which he turned into a speech).
ReplyDeleteEven though I do not personally remember 9-11-01 I can feel for the victims, their parents, and their friends. Going through this must have been something very terrible to deal with losing family members in something like this that did not even evolve them, in which they where totally innocent going about there day minding there own business.
ReplyDeleteThe whole NPR thing was very nice and also informational about Father Duffy and how he found and his homily. I think it could teach us to be better writers because of the emotion and how he smart he uses it, not using it too much to make it a sob story, but enough to get his point across so u get the full effect of the emotion. The only thing I wish was different is that we could listen to the whole thing and we would be able to hear his whole story and understand more of it
My first response to this story was a feeling of sadness, however towards the end I felt reassured. The story was short, but it was still descriptive enough for me to feel as though I was one of the many who knew and loved Father Judge. I really liked the homily that Father Duffy did for Father Judge because of how powerful it was. I think that the homily can teach us many things as writers. It was a powerful speech, but it was not especially fancy or verbose. It was uplifting without making light of the situation. These are concepts that, as writers, we all need to work on. It is extremely difficult to make a simple sentence express such a profound sentiment as "Bury his heart, but not his love." What really stuck with me was how he said that Father Judge died first, so he could welcome everyone into heaven. I thought that was such a comforting and reassuring thought, and it is not something I will easily forget. As writers, we can learn how to come up with lasting ideas and thoughts that our readers will remember.
ReplyDeleteThis 9/11 story was about the first recorded to fall in the tragic attacks to the twin towers. His name was Father Michael Judge. When I first heard this story, an overwhelming feeling of heartbreak came over me. Even though I had never met Father Judge, I found myself feeling like I knew him and that I was mourning his loss. This might seem a bit crazy, but that is how much the homily given by Father Duffy impacted me. What happened on 9/11 came as a shock to the country. This story signifies the many innocent people who died that day. Each one of those lives are remembered each year and they are honored with stories like this.
ReplyDeleteFather Duffy's homily for Father Judge teaches us as writers that what matters is quality not quantity. The last few phrases are especially powerful because in only a few sentences Father Duffy leaves the audience with lasting impact. The homily leaves the audience feeling like they knew Father Judge's personality of undying hospitality. Also, the subtle comedic parts of the speech lighten the gravity of the situation. Father Michael Judge touched so many people's lives.
We see, in this story, that life is a delicate thing, so easily affected by the things surrounding it. In this story of the September 11th terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, we learn of a great man who was lost. This man was Father Mychal Judge, a Franciscan priest. He was a man who bettered the lives of others just by being in them. Father Mychal was a man loved by everyone who knew him, and even those who didn’t. In the homily, which was read by Father Michael Duffy, we see the power that such a man had on the lives of others. We see that in writing and spreading the deeds of such a great man, he can be remembered forever in the hearts of those who love and hear of him. Father Duffy’s words in the last paragraph of the homily show just how he will be remembered, after death. I do believe that wherever he is now, has become a better place for having him there.
ReplyDelete10 years ago today, I was sitting at my house in front of the television, watching as they replayed the same footage of planes crashing into buildings. I had no idea what was going on, but I knew that it was bad. I remember my class making posters to thank all the firemen for their hard work and signing our names alongside out handprint. I think that this story personifies some of the key aspects of 9/11. It shows how so many innocent people were killed, even a such a kind, loving man like Father Michael Judge. However, I think it is amazing how his death happened to save the people who tried to save him. I strongly believe that everything that happens happens for a reason, and has a purpose for the greater good. This story strengthens my belief in that because his death saved others lives. The speech was extremely well-written, and kept me hooked and wanting to hear more. At the end, I truly felt like Father Judge was someone I had met before, not necessarily that I was close to him, just that I had met him, and knew him and what he was like. As writers, we can observe how Father Duffy kept the speech short, yet kept out all superfluous information, getting straight to the heart of the speech and to the point. He kept it engaging, short, yet heartfelt all in one. He did this by editing out what was not necessary, but still adding reflection and emotion. He also used vivid verbs and adjectives to keep it short and sweet and get the point across in fewer words, something all writers should learn to emulate. I also agree with Paigein that overall, I enjoyed hearing this story, though it originally saddened me, it later made me feel better about how blessed I am, and comforted me that in the end, everything is okay and it happens for a reason.
ReplyDeleteHearing this story, and knowing that he was just one among many people to pass away 10 years ago makes the whole story even sadder. I can't imagine how many similar stories there are to Father Judge's among the other people who died. This man touched so many lives and would have helped many more people had he survived, but unfortunately it was his time to go. After hearing this story, I feel a little bit more sentimental about 9/11, just a little bit closer to an event that didn't really impact me much initially. I am glad that I heard this story and hope that Father Judge's family has been coping as best they can since this tragedy.
ReplyDeleteThe NPR story was about the first recorded death on 9-11-01. This person was Father Michael Judge, a Franciscan priest. The description of Father Mike in his homily depicts a kind man who touched countless people's lives. When I first started listening to the story i thought about how unfortunate it would be to die that day, but especially first. The homily changed my view completely and made me realized that he died first for a reason. This reason is to greet people once they get to heaven, almost a continuation of what he did on earth. Knowing that makes me realize how lucky we americans are to have a man like Father Mike to greet us in heaven. I really liked when it talked about how his heart was buried but not his love. This speaks to me as a writer because it helps me understand that while dead his presence will still be felt in spirit. Also, it is a great for all writers because it shows us how you can write inspirationally about those close to us who have passed away. Living in New York for four years, 9/11 was a tough day for me. Unlike some people who do not remember any of it i remember all of it. Even though I was living in Houston at the time i felt as though I was in the middle of it. Countless people that my parents knew and were friends with worked in and around the World Trade Center. Unfortunately, one of my mother's close friends perished but we were fortunate to not lose anybody else. The attacks on 9/11 will continue to resound throughout history and heroes like Father Michael Judge that lost their lives will always be remembered.
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ReplyDeleteToday has been an emotional day for America to say the least. Ten years later, and the wounds of the terrorist attack on 9/11 are still raw for Americans; the pain is still there. After watching a special on TV for its tenth anniversary and then hearing this radio broadcast on Friar Judge, I was very emotionally shaken-up. I remember September 11 like it was yesterday, like everyone that it impacted, because my father was in the building across the street from the World Trade Center. He saw the first plane crash into the tower and saw people jumping from their windows. The devastation I felt that day was unlike any I have felt in a long time; I thought that I had lost my dad; all I knew was that he worked near the World Trade Center. The news that my dad was okay was a miracle, but really, in essence, his experience on September 11 changed him in ways that I will really never understand.
ReplyDeleteMy heart goes out to all of those families that lost family members because of the events of 9/11. Not only did it kill those directly involved in the attack, but also the lives of thousands of heroes who tried to help the victims. When Father Duffy heard that he had to give the homily at Father Judge's funeral, the task surely seemed very daunting. He probably wondered how he could do justice to the amazing life that Father Judge lead, especially to an audience of people searching for a reason why such a truly good man had to die. I think Father Duffy did a great job of highlighting the things that, in his eyes, made Father Judge a great person. He talked about how "Father Mike" thought he was the happiest and most blessed man in the world, and how he had to go first to help welcome all of the victims that would come after him. He specifically said "I AM the brother of the franciscan friar of Father Michael Judge." Using the present tense and then closing his homily with the statement “we will bury his heart, but not his love, never his love," gives the audience a lasting sense of Father Judge's legacy in the community. Father Duffy's tone was not too light or too serious; it had just the right amount of funny moments to make his audience laugh, but not make it a comedy. I think that Father Duffy's homily for Father Judge really represented the pride that America felt for how the nation responded to 9/11. As former President George W. Bush said, "“Now, we have inscribed a new memory alongside those others. It’s a memory of tragedy and shock, of loss and mourning. But not only of loss and mourning. It’s also a memory of bravery and self-sacrifice, and the love that lays down its life for a friend–even a friend whose name it never knew." Father Duffy's homily could be described just like this.
When the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center happened, I along with my fellow classmates, were about 5 or 6 years old. I do not remember seeing the actual footage of it; but, I do remember the chaos of our mom's trying to pick us up from school and take us home. It was crazy, people were so confused and bewildered that there was a terrorist attack, that it almost didn't seem real. I, of course had no idea why we were being taken home, but I did know that it was not for a good reason. I also remember our Lower School principal at the time, Dr. Fishman, made an announcement to everyone as to what was going on. The part that struck me the most in Father Duffy's homily was the part when Father Judge said to him, " You know what I need? Nothing. I am the happiest man in the world." I found that since Father Duffy used that saying in his homily, it really helped add some humor, good memories, and wisdom at Father Judge's funeral. Also, Father Judge was a wise man and had a lot of good advice. I think by him saying this, it can really help people to understand as writers and just as people in general; that, to be happy you don't necessarily have to have everything. You just need what makes you happy. Also, I think that when a traumatic event like 9/11 happens, your experience can have an effect on how you write and really bring out the emotional and intellectual material in your writing. I say this because everyone has a different story, a different point of view, so in each and every way they are told differently and uniquely. Father Duffy's experience of 9/11 was extremely touching and impacting on those who have experienced it and a story that is hard to forget.
ReplyDeleteIt wasn't until about four years ago that I realized how truly awful all of the 9-11 attacks were. When I was little, all of it seemed abstract and confusing, and I didn't really understand what was going on and how truly awful it was. All I remember from that day is that everyone was crying. At home we watched the tapes of the planes crashing and the buildings collapsing, but my twin brother and I were still rather oblivious to what had really happened. I also think that when your five, it's hard to identify with the lose of people that you don't know. As I've gotten older and heard stories of people like Father Judge it really makes you connect with all the people that were lost. Father Judge was clearly a very loved man, and his loss was truly tragic for the world and all the people he touched. Listening to Father Duffy talk about how happy this man was before 9-11 just makes the whole thing feel personal. Honestly, at the end of listening to this, I felt like Father Judge was a friend that I'd lost. I actually thought that one of the saddest lines of this story was when "I really need absolutely nothing. I don't need a thing in the world. I am the happiest man in the world. Why am I so blessed? I don't deserve it." The way that the reader knows that these words came from the mouth of a man that ends up dead is truly heartbreaking. It was almost unbearable for me to listen to him talk about how blessed he was when I knew that he'd end up having his blessings taken away in a horrible tragedy. However, one of the things that I think Father Duffy did a good job of was balancing that feeling of despair and sadness with hope and happiness. He even managed to make the fact that Father Judge died first into a statement about how he would have wanted to die first so he could greet those coming into Heaven with him. As writers, that would be the biggest thing I would try to learn how to do from Father Duffy's homily. He does a really good job of balancing the emotions of the listener. If the whole thing was happy, we'd feel like he didn't care enough about 9-11 and all the people that died. If the whole thing was too sad, we'd leave feeling hopeless about Father Judge's life and even our own lives. All the lines leading up to the end about burying Father Judge but not forgetting what he left behind was in my opinion a genius ending. It shows the sadness of the loss of his body but insurance that his impact on the world is something that can never be lost.
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ReplyDeleteThe NPR report was about a Franciscan priest, Father Michael Judge, who was the first recorded death from the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center. First, I thought about the fire fighter's story of 9/11; he found the body of Father Judge in the rubble, which actually saved his life because when he took Father Judge's body away to be identified it took him away from the danger of the collapsing buildings. This is almost a metaphorical statement to describe how Father Judge saved people's lives everyday by guiding them to safety, heaven. Then, I thought about what Father Duffy said in his homily regarding Father Judge. I was very moved by those last few lines. "We come to bury his body but not his spirit. We come to bury his voice but not his message. We come to bury his hands but not his good works. We come to bury his heart but not his love." Father Duffy reminds us that Father Judge might have passed away but his legacy will live on forever. From a writer's perspective, Father Duffy's homily regarding Father Judge uses a good balance of intellectual substance, material substance and emotional substance to get his point across. In the NPR announcement, we heard mostly the emotional portion of the homily, but it wasn't just a complete sob story for Father Judge. Also, Father Duffy gave specific examples and quotes by Father Judge to show how good of a man he was. Lastly, he left a solid, open ending that stays in a reader's mind.
ReplyDeleteI barely remember September 11, 2001. I only knew that something bad had happened, and everyone was upset but I didn't know why. As I grew up, I began to realize the effect this event had had on people and looking back, I can truly understand the magnitude of what happened. The attacks took the lives of many good people, including Father Judge. His story really affected me. He helped so many people in his life, and what Father Duffy said about him both saving lives and helping people into Heaven even after he died was very powerful. Instead of just saying that Father Judge was a very good, noble, loved man, Father Duffy told stories and gave specific proof to back up hi point. This made his speech have much more power. In addition, his closing sentences were a great way to both tie together the speech and say that while Father Judge had died, the effects of his actions lived on.
ReplyDeleteSeptember 11 was a trying day for America. I had a cousin, Mark, who was in a meeting a few blocks down from the World Trade Centers on the 11th, and i can remember my mother frantically trying to find out if he was OK. Even today we can still see the lasting effects of that day. When i herd this story, sadness descended upon me. This story is one of personal sacrifice while helping others, truly the greatest sacrifice that can be made
ReplyDeleteAs I look upon the blank screen. The emotions felt by Father Judge’s tale is indescribable. It may seem that 9/11 will always be remembered as sad tragedy which it is, but in the end of the homily the perspective shifts from a morbid point of view to a more proud and grateful perspective. I also think it is interesting how the fireman looked upon bringing Father Judge out of the building as a way of permitting him to live. The reason why this fireman was saved was because bringing out father Judge distanced him from the first tower which collapsed. The irony is that the death of a man saved the life of the living person. As a student which incorporates the fundamentals of writing. Irony is a good literary tool to create a more pensive piece of writing. God bless those who were lost during 9/11 and those who live with without their loved ones.
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