FDNY Monsignor John Delendick honored with plaque year after death from 9/11-related illness

Nearly a twelvemonth aft FDNY Monsignor John Delendick’s decease from a 9/11-related illness, a plaque dedication ceremonial honoring the beloved chaplain was held Friday greeting astatine the Brooklyn firehouse helium called home.

Delendick, who died connected Thanksgiving successful 2023 astatine property 74 from pancreatic cancer, was remembered arsenic some a generous and humorous figure, fiercely dedicated to the firefighters who marque up the department.

“The Monsignor was a calming and steadying dependable successful their times of need. On bully days helium was a person and a confidant, speedy with a gag and a jab,” said Fire Commissioner Robert Tucker to the assemblage gathered successful the Canarsie firehouse.

FDNY Commissioner Robert Tucker speaks during a plaque dedication ceremonial honoring FDNY Chaplain Monsignor John Delendick connected Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, astatine Engine Company 257 Firehouse connected Rockaway Pkwy. successful Brooklyn. (Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News)

The plaque, which is to beryllium installed astatine Ladder 170/Engine 25/Battalion 58, mentions his enactment “shepherding our members during the rescue and betterment efforts” successful the aftermath of 9/11. The lawsuit not lone yet claimed his beingness but was the halfway of overmuch of the enactment helium did aft the attacks.

The Queens autochthonal was ordained connected Feb. 12, 1977, and became an FDNY chaplain 19 years aboriginal aft serving successful churches crossed Brooklyn. Delendick took implicit arsenic the department’s elder chaplain aft Father Mychal Judge became the archetypal authoritative unfortunate of 9/11.

“He ne'er forgot who was near down and the years that followed were devoted to 9/11 families and this department,” said Tucker.

A plaque dedication ceremonial honoring FDNY Chaplain Monsignor John Delendick, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News)

Delendick returned to the tract aggregate times successful the aftermath of the violent attacks, with the toxic particulate of little Manhattan yet sickening the seasoned priest. He arranged vessel trips for 9/11 families to sojourn Ground Zero lone weeks aft the attack, gathering the mourners for a supplication connected their travel from the Brooklyn Naval Yard to the site.

Even aft his diagnosis of cancer, Delendick continued his enactment successful the 9/11 community.

“Today we are present to retrieve idiosyncratic who didn’t springiness a small more, helium gave a batch more,” said FDNY Chaplain Rabbi Joseph Potasnik.

The plaque honoring FDNY Chaplain Monsignor John Delendick, Friday, Nov. 22, 2024. (Theodore Parisienne for New York Daily News)