FDNY Captain Set To Take On New Role As Catholic Priest
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- On Saturday, a retired New York City firefighter will become an ordained Catholic priest at St. Patrick's Cathedral.
As CBS2's Ali Bauman reported, 60-year-old Thomas Colucci is used to being a hero.
"I did 20 years on the fire department," he said.
After retiring as an FDNY captain, Colucci has devoted the last 12 years to God. He joined a monastery where he recovered from brain surgery after an explosion on the job and then turned to the seminary where he has been studying to become an ordained Catholic priest.
"I think God gave me a purpose to be a firefighter, lieutenant, captain, and we all have our jobs to do in life," he said.
Colucci never married, but said God has always been by his side. He was there when Colucci dropped out of college, and joined the FDNY in 1985. He was there when Colucci rose through the ranks to lieutenant and eventually captain. Colucci said the decision to join the clergy became obvious after responding to the scene of 9/11.
"On that day you saw the worst in humanity and then you saw the best. Everyone says 'where was Christ that day?' Well I think he was there in the rescuers, the people that responded, so I just saw the best part of humanity there," he said.
Seminary school involved 7 years of devoted study in a classroom of 13 other aspiring priests, but Tom said the brotherhood at the seminary isn't all that different from the brotherhood at the squad.
"Like here we encourage each other at fires and drill and train together to do our job to do our task," he said.
While some say the pressures of priesthood can't compare to the demand of the FDNY, Colucci said he owes his whole career to the man upstairs.
"I think he gave me the grace to be a firefighter, and I did the best I could. Now he's giving me the grace to be a priest, and I'll do the best I can do," he said.
After Saturday when Deacon Tom walks out as Father Tom he'll be assigned to a church somewhere in New York to start his final adventure.
The newly ordained priests will have three weeks off before they begin sermons at their new congregations.
