A Middle Village pastor who played a major role helping a group of firefighters in the wake of the World Trade Center attacks on September 11, 2001, died on Sunday.
Father Michael A. Carrano, who served the Catholic Church for 39 years, was 74-years-old when he passed away after a battle with cancer.
Most recently, Carrano served as the pastor of Our Lady of Hope in Middle Village, where he had been since 2009. Throughout his career, Carrano worked in various parishes throughout Brooklyn and Queens.
City Councilman Robert Holden is a parishioner of Our Lady of Hope and was close with Father Carrano.
“Father Carrano was a good friend of mine and a great, great leader,” said Councilman Holden. “He put up a valiant fight against cancer and kept working throughout his treatments. He is a true hero and we owe him a debt of gratitude for his service to our community. He will be sorely missed.”
Carrano, along with an identical twin brother, was born on June 7, 1945 in Brooklyn. After graduating from St. Francis College with a bachelor’s degree in 1966, Carrano was ordained a priest in 1970.
In the months following the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001, Carrano served as a spiritual advisor for FDNY Engine 205/Ladder 118, which lost eight firefighters who responded to the call.
Father Carrano’s wake will be held on Friday, June 28 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. inside Our Lady of Hope Church. A Vigil Mass will follow the wake, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
