Solemn
rites for a courageous officer
By Lou Baldwin
Special to The CS&T
On Friday, May 9, for the second time in six months, Philadelphia’s
Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul was the setting
for the final solemn rites for a police officer slain in
the line of duty.
Last Nov. 7, the funeral Mass was for Officer Chuck Cassidy,
who was murdered after he interrupted a robbery in progress
at a West Oak Lane Dunkin Donuts.
This time, the funeral was for police Sergeant Stephen Liczbinski.
He was shot to death on May 3 when he responded to a bank
robbery in Port Richmond, the neighborhood of his own childhood.
Representing Cardinal Justin Rigali, who was in Rome, Auxiliary
Bishop Joseph P. McFadden was the principal celebrant and
homilist at the Mass, which was attended by Sgt. Liczbinski’s
wife, Michelle; their three children, Matt, Steve and Amber;
friends and relatives; civic officials, and a virtual sea
of uniformed officers who filled the cathedral. Others viewed
the funeral from a screen in the cathedral chapel or stood
in the rain outside. Among the concelebrants were Bishops
Robert P. Maginnis, Joseph R. Cistone and Daniel E. Thomas.
Speaking of the supreme sacrifice Sgt. Liczbinski made,
Bishop McFadden said, “Our Lord Jesus pointed out
that there is no greater love than to lay down one’s
life for one’s friends. Last Saturday afternoon, Sgt.
Steve Liczbinski laid down his life for all of the citizens
of this City of Brotherly Love. We cannot and will not forget
his heroic act.
“Today, as we gather at this liturgy, we join his
act of love to that of Jesus Christ, who offered Himself
on the cross for the sins of the world,” the Bishop
said.
Among the concelebrating priests at the liturgy was Father
Charles E. Bonner, pastor of the Liczbinski family’s
home parish of St. Cecelia. He would later preside at the
graveside rites, after the immense funeral cortege wended
its way to Resurrection Cemetery in Bensalem.
Father Bonner’s parish was understandably shocked
to have one of its own killed in the line of duty. At the
parish school, all the classes went one-by-one to the church
for a Holy Hour and rosary service for the fallen police
officer and other public servants.
“It was beautiful and heartwarming to see these children
praying for them,” Father Bonner said. “This
week in church, we will pray to ask God to give the family
strength.”
He noted that Cardinal Rigali visited the family in the
evening of the day Sgt. Liczbinski died. “They were
very appreciative that he took time out from his busy schedule
to come to see them,” he said.
Altar servers for the funeral mass were drawn from students
at St. Cecilia School and students in the parish who attend
Roman Catholic High School.
Also among the concelebrants at the Mass was Msgr. James
J. Howard, for 30 years the chaplain of the League of the
Sacred Heart — the fraternal group for Catholic police,
firefighters and peace officers.
Msgr. Howard has participated in many such funerals over
the years. Sgt. Liczbinski’s funeral came during National
Police Week, when the League had its annual retreat at Malvern
— and also when its members took part in ceremonies
at the eternal flame in Franklin Square to honor fallen
police officers including Officer Cassidy; Officer Gary
Skerski, who was killed in May 2006, and Sgt. Liczbinski.
“This man is typical,” Msgr. Howard said of
Sgt. Liczbinski. “There he was, with his dying breath
asking the man helping him to give his love to his family.
“Why do all of these people take the risk of the job
of police officer or firefighter? They do it because they
appreciate family,” Msgr. Howard added. “That
gives them the courage and the conviction to go out and
serve the people. I love working with them — and what
it has done for my priesthood.”
After a morning viewing in the Cathedral, and before the
start of the Mass, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles
H. Ramsey Jr. put Sgt. Liczbinski’s sacrifice in the
context of his profession.
“He represents the kind of heroism that takes place
throughout our country every day by men and women in uniform,”
the commissioner said. “Steve isn’t a hero in
my mind because of how he died. He is a hero because, many
years ago, he answered a call. He knew that he wanted to
help others and as a result he became a police officer.”
All police officers know there is a possibility they could
be killed some day, said Sergeant Ray Evers, who works in
the department’s office of public affairs.
“You try not to think about it,” he said.
Back when Sgt. Evers was with the police force’s South
Detectives, he often worked closely with Sgt. Liczbinski,
who was in the Fourth District.
“If we had an issue, Steve and his partner were the
first persons we would go to for help,” he said. “He
was a really, really good cop and did his job well. That’s
why detectives relied on him.”
Now, in the public affairs office, Sgt. Evers is among the
first to know when there has been a tragic incident. “When
you can put a face to the name, it does affect you,”
he said. “It hurts.”
The funeral Mass was followed by a short tribute by Matt
Liczbinski, who, in honor of his father, led the congregation
in a rousing cheer for the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team.
If tragedy had not intervened, his dad would have watched
the team play that evening.
Then, to the wail of bagpipes, the fallen officer’s
coffin was taken from the cathedral for the slow, final
motorcade to his grave.
Lou Baldwin is a member of St. Leo Parish and a freelance
writer.
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