Thousands mourn officer Christopher Matlosz in Lakewood
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
The sea of blue surrounding St. Mary of the Lake Church in Lakewood didn’t stop there Jan. 20.
It ran like a wave along the corridor of Route 88 on the side of the church, farther than the eye could see, as 10,000 uniformed officers from around the East Coast and Canada stood in silent tribute to their fallen brother, police officer Christopher Matlosz.
Inside the landmark church that has, for nearly 86 years, graced a promontory overlooking the lake for which the township is named, some 750 of Matlosz’ family, friends and colleagues gathered for a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.
CLICK HERE for more photos from the funeral Mass
The law enforcement community was joined by dignitaries including Gov. Chris Christie and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and thousands of civilians who came out to honor Matlosz.
The Lakewood officer, 27, had been brutally slain in his patrol car six days before during a neighborhood stop which, authorities believe, began in a non-confrontational manner and ended in gunfire. A 19-year-old Lakewood man, Jahmell W. Crockham, has been charged with his killing.
For days, the community at large had recoiled over the execution-style manner of Matlosz’ death, wept over his passing and openly expressed their shock, regret and grief.
Now, the time had come to say goodbye to the young man they remembered as a devoted son, fiancé, brother, comrade-in-arms and neighbor; a young man whose life had touched scores of people in the communities of Lakewood, Farmingdale and Howell, where he served as a police officer and volunteer.
Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop O’Connell were Msgr. Joseph M. Curry; pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Spotswood, in the Metuchen diocese, a long-time friend of the family, and Msgr. Philip Lowery, state police chaplain and pastor of St. James Parish, Red Bank.
Also concelebrating were St. Mary of the Lake pastor, Father Michael J. O’Connor and parochial vicars, Father Michael A. Santangelo, Father Marian F. Kokorzycki and Father Miguel Valle along with Father Douglas Freer, pastor of St. Rose Parish, Belmar.
In a poignant homily, Bishop O’Connell drew a portrait of “Chris,” capturing the essence of Matlosz’ personality, character and faith.
The bishop spoke of the slain officer’s devotion to duty. He noted that Matlosz loved being a public servant despite the risks involved.
Matlosz’ faith, Bishop O’Connell said, enabled him to dedicate himself to the welfare of others, just as it is faith that can help those who survive “make sense of what happened that day that our minds just can’t grasp.”
The bishop quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who said that if a man has not found something worth dying for, he is not fit to live. “Chris,” he said, found that something – he died in the line of duty and for the people he was sworn to protect.
“Christ gave his life for us that we might live forever. Chris knew that,” the bishop said. “He believed the word of God. His was not an easy life. It was a good one and he lived it with such strength.”
Matlosz’ death, the bishop said, calls the faithful to reflect on the essence of the Christian faith.
“The Gospel reminds,” he said, “not to let yourself be troubled but to have faith.” Bishop O’Connell quoted John 14:2, the passage in which Jesus, with his own death impending, speaks of the many mansions in his father’s house.
“Jesus said, ‘I’m going to prepare a place for you’ …Chris knew this. He believed. His death calls us not be troubled but to believe Jesus’ words.”
After Holy Communion, massed pipers brought many in the church to tears with a somber version of “Amazing Grace” that echoed through the Italianate nave with a resonance that set the heart pounding.
Near the end of the Mass, Matlosz’ fiancé, Kelly Walsifer, poured her heart out in an emotional tribute to the man she described as her “soulmate,” while Matlosz’ good friend, police officer Jeff Hanlon, who worked with Matlosz when he was a patrolman in nearby Englishtown, offered a prayer he composed himself.
“We need not fear, for Chris’ soul did not die,” Hanlon said. “He only moved his patrol from the earth to the sky.”
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The sea of blue surrounding St. Mary of the Lake Church in Lakewood didn’t stop there Jan. 20.
It ran like a wave along the corridor of Route 88 on the side of the church, farther than the eye could see, as 10,000 uniformed officers from around the East Coast and Canada stood in silent tribute to their fallen brother, police officer Christopher Matlosz.
Inside the landmark church that has, for nearly 86 years, graced a promontory overlooking the lake for which the township is named, some 750 of Matlosz’ family, friends and colleagues gathered for a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M.
CLICK HERE for more photos from the funeral Mass
The law enforcement community was joined by dignitaries including Gov. Chris Christie and Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and thousands of civilians who came out to honor Matlosz.
The Lakewood officer, 27, had been brutally slain in his patrol car six days before during a neighborhood stop which, authorities believe, began in a non-confrontational manner and ended in gunfire. A 19-year-old Lakewood man, Jahmell W. Crockham, has been charged with his killing.
For days, the community at large had recoiled over the execution-style manner of Matlosz’ death, wept over his passing and openly expressed their shock, regret and grief.
Now, the time had come to say goodbye to the young man they remembered as a devoted son, fiancé, brother, comrade-in-arms and neighbor; a young man whose life had touched scores of people in the communities of Lakewood, Farmingdale and Howell, where he served as a police officer and volunteer.
Concelebrating the Mass with Bishop O’Connell were Msgr. Joseph M. Curry; pastor of Immaculate Conception Parish, Spotswood, in the Metuchen diocese, a long-time friend of the family, and Msgr. Philip Lowery, state police chaplain and pastor of St. James Parish, Red Bank.
Also concelebrating were St. Mary of the Lake pastor, Father Michael J. O’Connor and parochial vicars, Father Michael A. Santangelo, Father Marian F. Kokorzycki and Father Miguel Valle along with Father Douglas Freer, pastor of St. Rose Parish, Belmar.
In a poignant homily, Bishop O’Connell drew a portrait of “Chris,” capturing the essence of Matlosz’ personality, character and faith.
The bishop spoke of the slain officer’s devotion to duty. He noted that Matlosz loved being a public servant despite the risks involved.
Matlosz’ faith, Bishop O’Connell said, enabled him to dedicate himself to the welfare of others, just as it is faith that can help those who survive “make sense of what happened that day that our minds just can’t grasp.”
The bishop quoted Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who said that if a man has not found something worth dying for, he is not fit to live. “Chris,” he said, found that something – he died in the line of duty and for the people he was sworn to protect.
“Christ gave his life for us that we might live forever. Chris knew that,” the bishop said. “He believed the word of God. His was not an easy life. It was a good one and he lived it with such strength.”
Matlosz’ death, the bishop said, calls the faithful to reflect on the essence of the Christian faith.
“The Gospel reminds,” he said, “not to let yourself be troubled but to have faith.” Bishop O’Connell quoted John 14:2, the passage in which Jesus, with his own death impending, speaks of the many mansions in his father’s house.
“Jesus said, ‘I’m going to prepare a place for you’ …Chris knew this. He believed. His death calls us not be troubled but to believe Jesus’ words.”
After Holy Communion, massed pipers brought many in the church to tears with a somber version of “Amazing Grace” that echoed through the Italianate nave with a resonance that set the heart pounding.
Near the end of the Mass, Matlosz’ fiancé, Kelly Walsifer, poured her heart out in an emotional tribute to the man she described as her “soulmate,” while Matlosz’ good friend, police officer Jeff Hanlon, who worked with Matlosz when he was a patrolman in nearby Englishtown, offered a prayer he composed himself.
“We need not fear, for Chris’ soul did not die,” Hanlon said. “He only moved his patrol from the earth to the sky.”
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