Department honors FDNY Chaplain Monsignor John E. Delendick with plaque dedication

November 22, 2024

The FDNY honored Monsignor John E. Delendick with a plaque dedication ceremony on Friday, Nov. 22, 2024, inside the quarters of Engine 257/Ladder 170 in Brooklyn.

"Monsignor Delendick came to the FDNY as a chaplain in 1996-a job he loved and cherished," FDNY Commissioner Robert S. Tucker said. "With his quick wit and sharp tongue, he easily blended in with our members and was a favorite among them. He knew how they talked, how they thought and what they valued. The losses of September 11th elevated him in this department to our senior chaplain with the death of Father Mychal Judge. He never forgot who was left behind, and the years that followed were devoted to the 9/11 families and to our Department. We honor that legacy with a plaque that bears his name at the firehouse he considered home. I hope when you visit here or turn out for work, you take a moment to think of Monsignor Delendick and the lasting impact he had on the FDNY."

First Deputy Commissioner Mark Guerra said: "Monsignor Delendick loved the FDNY, and we loved him."

Monsignor Delendick was a 28-year veteran of the FDNY, receiving the appointment of Department Chaplain on May 15, 1996. On September 11, 2001, Monsignor Delendick arrived at the World Trade Center shortly after the second plane struck. He survived the collapse of the towers and spent countless hours over the ensuing eight months bringing families to the World Trade Center, officiating at memorial and funeral services and was present at support groups set up throughout the region to console the families and friends of the members killed.

Monsignor Delendick died on Nov. 23, 2023, from World Trade Center-related cancer. He was 74 years old.