Category: Dispatch
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Servant Leadership in Turnout Gear Leadership in the fire service is often measured by position—captain, chief, officer, senior man. But anyone who has spent enough time in a firehouse knows that rank alone doesn’t make a leader. Firefighters can tell, almost instinctively, who they would follow into a bad hallway and who they wouldn’t. Titles…
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Father Patrick Duffy: A Priest for Soldiers and Firefighters Alike Veterans Day Reflection for the Saint Florian Battalion There are names in our Catholic memory that do not always sit on the front pages of history books, yet they live quietly in the marrow of our identity. Father Patrick Duffy is one of those names—a…
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Finding Rest in the Fire: Why Rest and Relaxation Are Essential for the Catholic Firefighter A few weekends ago, my wife and I celebrated our 31st anniversary in one of our favorite northern Michigan locations. It was a welcome chance to leave behind the stress of the last few months and simply slow down. The…
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October: The Month of the Holy Rosary — A Tradition for Catholic Firefighters For centuries, October has been honored as the Month of the Holy Rosary. This devotion traces back to the early Church but took its present shape after one of history’s pivotal moments. In 1571, Christian Europe faced overwhelming odds at the Battle…
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When the tones startle you awake at 2 a.m. and you jump out of your bunk, the world feels like it is coming apart for someone. A house is burning, a car is overturned, someone is calling for help — and you are the one who answers. But sometimes, the chaos isn’t out there. Sometimes,…
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On September 11, 2001, the world lost a priest, a chaplain, and a friend to countless firefighters: Father Mychal Judge, OFM. Born Robert Emmett Judge on May 11, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, he grew up the son of Irish immigrants during the Great Depression. His father’s death when he was young taught him early…
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Honoring 9/11 as Catholic Firefighters: Faith, Memory, and ReverenceOn the morning of September 11, 2001, I was sitting in a Union Executive Board meeting in North Carolina when the news broke. Like so many across the country, we gathered around the television in stunned silence as the unthinkable unfolded. Though miles away, every firefighter in…
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