Beloved Airport Chaplain Fr. Bob Susann, M.S., Retires

Beloved Airport Chaplain, Fr. Bob Susann, M.S., Retires

by Glenda Meekins

After a vocations retreat his senior year in high school, Father Susann knew he “wanted to make a difference in the world.” And he did. For nearly 20 years, Father Susann spent most of his time in Orlando International Airport, greeting travelers and employees, consoling them, and ministering to them for a moment or an hour - the face of Christ among the crowd. 

Practicing the Ministry of Presence

Even as he departed, Father Susann stayed true to the mission of the National Catholic Conference of Airport Chaplains: "to teach and witness to the Word of God and to serve His people by fostering their growth and renewal through prayer, study and Catholic service for airport personnel and travelers."

Missionary of Our Lady of La Salette pastor Fr. Roland Nadeau of Blessed Trinity Parish, where Fr. Susann lived for many years, described his friend well. “He was a man who wanted to stay in the vineyard and work for the Lord to his very last day if he could. Despite his disability (from a prior stroke), he was able to amass a record of fidelity and a wealth of service at this airport, one of the busiest in the country," he said.

The first Orlando Airport Chaplain

The only airport chaplain to serve the Diocese of Orlando, Fr. Susann returned to the roots of his religious order in Hartford, Connecticut, on Oct. 31, after a recent heart attack. In his final days in Orlando, he still guided and consoled airport employees who flocked to visit and tell him how much he would be missed.

He was so beloved that in 2013 Father Susann was honored by the board of directors of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority for his years of dedication, service, and ministry. It was the highest award given to employees – even though the chaplain was a volunteer. For him, it was a ministry of love for everyone, from Disney tourists to those traveling to or from a funeral.

The Diocese of Orlando airport ministry was born in the mid-1980s. Intrigued, Fr. Susann requested consideration from then-Bishop Norbert Dorsey after extensive interviews with the Diocese of Orlando's head of tourism, Msgr. Joseph  Harte, and the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Fr. Susann was chosen for the job. So, after thirteen years as pastor of St. Anne’s Parish in Marietta, Georgia, he headed to Blessed Trinity Parish in Orlando, where he made a new home with his fellow La Salettes.

Always lending a helping hand...

Father Susann then headed to O'Hare International Airport in Chicago for training. At the time, thirty-seven airport chaplains were in the U.S. Today, about fifty Catholic airport chaplains are working in thirty national airports. 

 “I liked being able to help people find the Lord and help them in difficult times,” Father Susann said. “I talked to people and tried to help them realize that the Church is here for you. When they saw the collar, it made a difference,” he explained. Often those traveling to care for a sick relative or because of a funeral would stop and ask for prayer, blessing, or simply consolation. Fr. Susann estimates that at least 20% of travelers fly due to bereavement.

He noted, "There are two types of people to minister to, the workers and the visitors, people that are flying. It's a ministry that sometimes only takes a moment to bring them to the Lord because you don't have too much time."

He recalled one day entering the chapel at 5:30 am and finding two young women crying. He thought, indeed, they had lost a loved one. Upon inquiring, he discovered that the two students from the University of Scranton, Pennsylvania, feared flying. They asked him to pray with them. He did. Calmed by his presence, they took their flight and arrived safely at their destination. Other times, he heard the confessions of travelers feeling the safety of anonymity.

An airport parish, larger than most...

Yet much of his ministry was caring spiritually for the 17,000 airport employees. Whether his chapel was in the Hyatt Regency, as it first was, behind Terminal A security or its current location in the new Terminal C, which is more visible, Fr. Susann could be found speaking with vendors and airport staff, building close relationships. He frequently went to their families' funerals, comforting relatives and friends. He leaves behind many inconsolable by his departure. 

Among them is Jay William Chase. The terminal operations employee met Father Susann on the job and offered to assist him in displaying the rosary and placing the Sacramentals on the altar. “Father is my number one,” he said. “We met over many occasions for coffee. He has helped me and (gave) me advice on personal issues. He's very respectable and very honorable. Many people at the airport just don't like him; they love him. He's a slow walker, but he makes sure he gets around the airport and spends time to see how everybody's doing each day when he's there.” Chase testifies that Fr. Susann cares more for others than he does for himself.

Saying goodbye

Pondering Fr. Susann's departure, Bishop John Noonan described him as “a guardian angel,” noting he had “wings.” “He was always flying. He was our ‘everything for everybody’ at the airport, our St. Francis of Assisi, and our St. Vincent de Paul. And he was helping the travelers and was also present for the staff.” He acknowledged that this cherished priest will be hard to replace.

 (Republished with permission of The Florida Catholic, November 3, 2022)