Pastors shepherd communities following tragic deaths of two local police officers
By Dc. Tom Cuskey
Editor
Each of us in central New York and the Diocese of Syracuse will no doubt remember what we were doing when we heard the news. A routine Sunday evening traffic stop, tracking the vehicle to a home in the town of Salina, and the shooting deaths of two responding officers. Officer Michael Jensen of the Syracuse Police Department and Lt. Michael Hoosock, an Onondaga County deputy sheriff, were ambushed, the suspect using a military assault-style rifle.
Much has been contributed to the media coverage of the tragedy. In its aftermath, after the funeral Masses for the two fallen heroes were finished, The Catholic Sun had the opportunity to speak with the pastors of the two parishes where these men and their families worshipped.
Fr. Paul Angelicchio, St. John the Baptist, Rome
A screenshot from the funeral livestreamed at St. John the Baptist Church in Rome for Officer Michael Jensen. Fr. Paul Angelicchio is at center behind the altar.
This was not the Rev. Paul Angelicchio’s first police shooting death. “There’s a Catholic Sun from 1990 that has an article about me doing the same thing,” Fr. Paul said. He was the Syracuse Police Department (SPD) chaplain for 22 years and was on the scene after Officer Wally Howard was killed in the line of duty, the last SPD officer down in almost 34 years. Having personal experience in a similar situation doesn’t lessen the impact of losing another.
“I got the call on Sunday night, that he had been shot,” he said. The Jensen family are long-time members of St. John the Baptist, and Fr. Paul is a Rome native. It is a tight-knit community.
Jensen’s mother and uncle were in Florida, and they called Father to ask for prayers. They called back a little while later to share that Jensen had passed.
“Right away, all that stuff about Wally, of course, just came back, from being in the emergency room and all that we went through back then,” Fr. Paul recalled.
At present there is no one priest specifically assigned as chaplain to the department. Fr. Paul saw a number of veteran and retired city officers he knows enter the pews at the funeral. “I saw them, you know … I saw some of the old guys .. ‘if you need something, call me,’” he told them. “And I even asked these young guys who were [there]; ‘if you need me, call me.’”
Planning for a funeral celebration of life is challenging enough; planning for the tragic loss of a young person, cut down in the line of duty and the subject of intense news coverage, could be unbearable for a family. “But the tremendous faith that family has … they insisted they wanted it in church,” Fr. Paul said. “They didn’t want any big thing … they wanted [it] where he was baptized, where he made First Communion, where he was confirmed. That was so important to them.”
Fr. Celentano receives the Eucharistic gifts from the three Hoosock children. Photo courtesy of WSYR-TV/CNY Central/Spectrum livestream.
Fr. Paul also explained in great detail how the Syracuse Police Department immediately responded with support for the family. Teams of officers – the product of ongoing preparedness for a situation everyone hopes never happens – took care to assist in every aspect of the circumstances. Planning for the funeral, the liturgy, the flow of people involved, the attention to the family’s personal needs and more were handled expertly and with devotion.
“But you can see the hurt on them, too,” he said. “Of course, they were doing it for one of their own, and it was painful to see that.” All involved, though, never lost sight of the desire to give the Jensen family support and love. “We all came together. And we all agreed: Whatever they want, we’ll do it. And we did it.”
The aftermath
When the planning meetings ended, most of the people involved went home to be with loved ones and find support during a difficult time. For Fr. Paul – and for most priests today – they go back to an empty rectory.
“It [planning] just took a lot, and it’s draining,” he said. “Because of all the emotions, because you’re trying to help them out. But then you come home at night … I’m all alone here.” Most priests are in the same situation, living alone and serving multiple worship sites as opposed to the past when several priests would be living together, all assigned to serve a single church.
“That’s when you rely on your relationship with the Lord, that gives you the strength when you least expect it,” Father said, “and the Lord did.”
One hope Fr. Paul has, as all involved try to find some sense of normalcy again in everyday living, is that they never lose the faith that supported them when they needed it most.
“We may question it, we may get mad at God,” he said. “But it’s the faith that gets us through.” He was asked by some, how people without faith survive a tragedy like this. “They’re like the lost sheep. They’re lost because everything that’s final [for them] is not final for us. That’s what we believe in; it’s not final. And that’s what keeps us going, every day.”
“I hope I never have to go through it again. Like I said 34 years ago, but you don’t know.”
Fr. Christopher Celentano, St. Rose of Lima, North Syracuse
Like Fr. Paul, the Rev. Christopher Celentano has a close relationship with the family of Lt. Michael Hoosock, “Hooch” to all who knew him. Though separated in age by several years, they both grew up at St. Daniel’s Church in Lyncourt. The three Hoosock kids are now students at St. Rose of Lima School; his wife Caitlin is active at the school and parish.
“And, you know, Michael just really started getting back involved in church this year,” Fr. Chris said, “which was a blessing because he was here for Masses, the fish fry … we started to see him around more often, knowing that he was so committed in other ways.”
Fr. Chris got the news early Monday morning and immediately headed to the Hoosock home. “Knowing the children here and knowing Mike’s family pretty well, it just was shocking. My attention first was to the family, to his wife, his children, his parents, who I knew, and then secondarily to the school and the church.”
Father was also reminded of the impact he would have as a pastor, a leader in the community, as the parish engaged in supporting the family. He was also reminded by one of his TV interviewers that his voice would be one the community would need right now.
“I’m just thinking about the family and this community, and no idea the impact some of these interviews or my words could possibly have in bringing people peace,” he said. “Certainly, I know what we represent … we represent the Lord and the Church and who she is. But people have reached out to me since then, even non-Catholics.”
Faith is the difference-maker
When Fr. Chris arrived at the Hoosock family home on Monday morning, Hooch’s parents shared their gratitude with him, grateful that their son had found his way back as an active part of the St. Rose community. In the moment, they chose love and gratitude over anger.
“They cared about his soul,” Father said.
Fr. Chris’ own journey through the following days touched on a wide range of emotions.
“I think those initial feelings, the first few days of anger, shock, [are] a gateway to just sadness and concern,” he said. “Grief, thinking of the family losing somebody at such a young age, and in such a violent way. And then, after that and through that, hope. I realize that there is nothing in this world that can bring hope like Jesus Christ.”
Like Fr. Paul, Fr. Chris experienced the same type of emotional response. “Personally, it was emotionally draining because I started to realize others were looking to me, which is a beautiful, … a humble experience, please. And I, of course, I have no right to even be there. But the Lord has put me there. So, it was humbling.
“It might sound [like a] cliche, but it was the Lord, the Lord has given the grace.”
We spoke with Fr. Chris three days after the funeral service. He presided at seven funerals in the days before the Hoosock liturgy; he had another funeral the morning of our interview appointment. Parishes throughout the diocese typically see more funerals than baptisms or weddings in recent times. While it can take a toll, reality presents an opportunity for people of faith.
“My hope is that people understand our mortality and that the church is here to help,” Fr. Chris said. “What the church is offering is something that the world can’t. What I hope the community gets out of this is respect for the sacrifice of these two human beings that was offered for us. Just like the two Michaels willing to lay down their lives, for the community … those guys were made in their loving families, by a supportive community. And those hearts that they were given, they were given by God.”
