THE “FATHER DAN”
TO THE RESCUE
Recently, the Boston Fire Department added a new boat to its fire fighting fleet. It was named after Rev. Dan Mahoney who has been a fire chaplain since 1964. Father Dan has been a vital part of the Boston Fire Department, St. Francis de Sales Paish and all of Charlestown since 1964. Many Townies alive today have never known anyone else up at the parish church but Mahoney.
I have been a friend of his going back to 1968 when I lived on Pearl Street and went to Sunday Mass up at St. Francis de Sales. I respect him very much as does all Charlestown. As somone recently stated, ‘He’s the best person you want in times of adversity.
Cardinal Cushing appointed him a deputy fire chaplain in 1964 and in 1991, he was appointed chief chaplain. At the ceremony following the christening of the new Father Dan fire boat at Florian Hall, the real Father Dan said, “I was just overwhelmed by it. I am humbled.”
Father Dan said he always wanted to be a priest and a fire fighter. He was always chasing fire trucks as a kid up in Haverhill. As Boston Fire Commissioner Dan Flynn stated, “Father Dan has been a very lucky man to have woven his two passions in life into one memorable career. We have all benefited from this great man’s love and devotion to his church and his love and devotion to his firefighters.”
Father Dan has often said that firefighting is not a job, “It’s I your blood, it’s your vocation.”
As for Father Dan himself, he may have come from Haverhill but he’s got Townie blood flowing through him now.
EARTH FEST TO CHARLESTOWN
The Radio 92.9 news jeep made it over to the Bunker Hill Mall on May 7 and Whole Foods Supermarket for the upcoming Radio 92.9 Earth Fest co-sponsored once again by Whole Foods Supermarket. It happens this weekend, May 21 at the DCR Hatch Memorial. This is the 23rd annual fest and it is free to all. A table was set up outside Whole Foods with all the foods offered by vendors you’ll see this Saturday.