9/11 Remembered

This year marked the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. As our nation remembered the events of that horrible day, many of the widows and families of those killed gathered once again at the Shrine of St. Joseph, in Stirling, New Jersey, to remember their lost loved ones at a special Mass.

“I know I can speak for everybody that I’ve grieved with, when we come here every September 11th, we have a real sense of serenity. During the grieving process, you have to cry, somehow you’ve got to get it out, because there are no shortcuts to that, but when you leave here and you’ve heard the message, it’s the most spiritual place I’ve ever been to when it comes to what happened to my brother, when it comes to life in general. The Bell Tower is a very serene place of faith. It’s food for the soul and we all need it.”
– Kathleen D. (brother died on 9/11)

Planned by the widows themselves, the celebration of Eucharist was not open to the public, it  was their special time to grieve, remember and heal.  Later, in the evening, there was a candlelight service that was open to anyone who wished to remember and honor those who died that day.

The Tower of Remembrance Memorial was built with steel from the North Tower of the World Trade Center and bells from the Missionary Servants’ seminary, in Monroe, Virginia.

The idea to build the Tower came shortly after the day of the tragic attacks. Stirling is quite close to New York City. In fact, some of the commuter trains that went through the Stirling station went right to the World Trade Center, and many of the people in the area were related to or knew people who perished that day.

“You know, I always come to this event here at the Shrine. For all the people, the families, the kids, who come, when the kids come forward, it tears you up, they were the victims, those people who died. A lot of them trapped, couldn’t get out that was the sadness of that day. Hopefully people learn to treat each other a little bit better.  I was lucky I got out.”
– Virginia D. (9/11 Survivor)

Surrounding the Tower of Remembrance are gardens, walkways and benches, where people can stroll or sit as they meditate and pray for the deceased. Engraved on bronze plaques embedded in low stone and brick walls around the tower are the names of those whose lives were lost that day.

The Tower is most of all a place of peace and healing. The setting itself — the beautiful grounds of the Shrine of St. Joseph — emanates a sense of tranquility.

Please keep in your prayers those lost as well as their surviving families. And, if you are able, please visit the Tower of Remembrance at the Shrine of St. Joseph in Stirling, New Jersey.