Prayers Needed: Priest is critically burned in rectory fire at St. Michael's Church in Palisades Park, N.J.

A popular priest who was quick with a smile and a joke, participated in the local Memorial Day celebrations and embraced the new Korean families who filled the pews at St. Michael’s Church in Palisades Park, suffered severe burns Saturday in an early morning fire that tore through the church rectory.

COURTESY OF ST. MICHAEL'S CHURCH

Rev. James Reilly, a long-time pastor at St. Michael's Church in Palisades Park is currently hospitalized following an overnight fire in the rectory.

MICHAEL SOUNTIS/SPECIAL TO THE RECORD

Scene of Palisades Park fire in rectory building of St. Michaels' Church which seriously injured Father James Reilly.

The Rev. James F. Reilly was taken to Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston with burns over more than 40 percent of his body. A hospital spokeswoman said Saturday he was in the intensive care burn unit and in critical condition.

News of the tragedy stunned and saddened Reilly’s parishioners, many of whom learned of the fire during services on Saturday.

“He’s been a friend to me and my family for many years,” said a tearful Lisa Miglietta, a Eucharistic minister and “right-hand man” to Reilly. She said the priest, known for his speaking skills, had been there for her when she buried her father and grandmother.

At the Notre Dame Inter-parochial Academy next door, where children were practicing for an upcoming play, Lucy Eskandar’s eyes grew wide when she learned of the fire. “I’m very sorry to hear this,” she said, her face suddenly stricken with sadness. “I had no idea.”

Reilly and two adjunct priests — the Rev. Stanley Lobo and the Rev. Nalaka Silva — were asleep in their individual rooms when the fire started around 1 a.m., a still-shaken Silva said when reached Saturday.

“I heard the fire alarm and I smelled smoke,” Silva said. “I jumped up. I immediately knew there was something wrong. … I went out and saw smoke coming out of his room. ... I couldn’t go in because it was locked. I had to call 911.”

Silva said he hurried to wake Lobo. “He was fast asleep and I banged on his door and got him out,” he said. “I was really panicked.”

The Fire Department, which is located two blocks away, arrived in less than 5 minutes, he said. “They came immediately and handled the situation,” Silva said.

Fire Chief Michael Valente said Reilly, 69, was found in his bathroom. “He was unconscious and he suffered burns,” Valente said.

Reilly was burned over 40 percent of his body and had to be resuscitated following his rescue, said the Rev. Steven Connor of St. Matthew Church in Ridgefield, who has been appointed temporary administrator of St. Michael’s.

“They carried him out,” Connor said. “He’s very critical.”

The stricken priest was taken to Englewood Hospital and Medical Center and then to Saint Barnabas.

Valente said the fire, which was in Reilly’s room, is under investigation and no one else was injured. “There is a lot of water and smoke damage,” he said.

via northjersey.com

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