The Rev. Michael Madden of St. John Parish is the new Roman Catholic chaplain of the Noroton Fire Department, and the department is glad to finally have one to call its own.

“Father Fay was our chaplain, but he never really showed up to functions,” Chief Michael Vitti told The Darien Times on Monday.

“Father Bob Post from St. Thomas More used to fill in for us, and we couldn’t get Father Mike at the time,” Vitti said.

The chaplain fills many roles for a fire department.

“We have annual dinners and stuff, and they do the benediction, and when a member dies, they give the guys support,” Vitti said.

Sometimes, he said, after a tough day, the chaplain is someone the fire department can just talk to.

“We always need a priest there,” he said.

When St. John’s new pastor, the Rev. Frank McGrath, arrived, he visited the fire department and introduced himself. Father McGrath replaced the former pastor, the Rev. Jude Fay, who resigned from the parish in May.

“Father McGrath is the chaplain in Westport, and Father Bob (Post) is the chaplain in Stamford, so neither one of them could do it, and when Father McGrath heard that we wanted Father Mike, he gave us his blessing,” Vitti said.

Father Madden joins the Rev. Paul Carling from St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, who is also Noroton’s chaplain.

Father Madden told The Darien Times on Monday that he’s always had a good relationship with the department, which is his neighbor on the Post Road.
“They’re great guys, and they are so good for the community above and beyond the obvious, so it is just a great honor,” he said.

As far as what was so special about Father Madden that made Vitti and his department want him as chaplain, he had difficulty putting it into words.

“You’ve just got to meet the guy, once you meet the guy, you’ll know,” he said.

Vitti said that the department is planning on formally giving Father Madden an official badge in some kind of ceremony, but he was not sure when that would take place.

“He’ll fit in really well with the department,” Vitti said.

© Copyright 2006 by Hersam Acorn newspapers