Early in August Pope Francis made the decision to alter his NYC itinerary to include a visit to the 9/11 WTC site to pray, offer support and participate in an interfaith prayer service for peace. Shortly afterwards the families of the 9/11 victims were offered the opportunity to participate in a lottery for tickets for the event. I was blessed to be one of the winners. Each person could take one guest. I made the decision to offer the ticket in a lottery for our parish staff and Fr Kamil was the lucky winner.
I will admit I was glued to the TV to witness the incredible journey of our Holy Father to the USA . His message and his persona have truly inspired and challenged us all. I do believe that his talk at the Interfaith Prayer Service at the 9/11 site was the most moving and most important for me personally due to my own connection through my brother but also due to the fact that it is hatred and division over religion which caused the terror of 9/11 and continues to be the major source of conflict in our world today.
Fr Kamil and I had a good viewing spot about 20 yards from the spot Pope Francis prayed at the edge of the South Tower pool. The atmosphere that morning at the 9/11 site was not the enthusiastic and joyful one at the other places Francis visited in DC and NYC. It was a quiet and reverent time as he approached the 9/11 site and the SouthTower pool. He prayed in silence in front of a large lighted candle and placed a single white rose on the memorial.He then spent time meeting some of the families of the victims before entering into the museum to participate in the Interfaith Prayer Service For Peace.
A few week ago I had written to the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of NY to gain admittance to the museum prayer service but that did not happen. As always, all things work for the good and Fr Kamil and I were able to watch and participate in the service with the crowds from the lawn on a large screen. It just happened that the screen was just before the North Tower pool where my brother Ed's name is inscribed with the other victims who died at that building.
Participating in the Service at that place truly enabled me to be in touch with the pain and loss of that day and in time led me to tears. However, one the images Pope Francis spoke of in his talk was the image of the waters flowing into the pools. He reminded us the water stood for the ongoing flow of tears in grief but also water is a symbol of life. He invited the loved ones of the victims to turn the tears to new life as peacemakers and reconcilers.
I know personally one of the things I have done to bring new life from my brother's death that day has been to work for interfaith dialogue and understanding. For me that experience has been so very enriching for me.
The service itself spoke so clearly of the message of peace and understanding. The image of a moslem Imam and a Jewish rabbi praying at each side of the podium quoting Scripture from the Old testament and the Koran made me realize as the Pope said peace is possible. The various colors of the clerical attire of the prayer leaders of Christians, Jews, Moslems, Hindus, Buddhists an Sieks moved me so deeply to see these men and women praying to our One God in his/her own way spoke to me of the gift of diversity to be celebrated so often mentioned during the service.
Pope Francis spoke so beautifully of the experience the loved ones of the victims had in those days and months after 9/11 in the outpouring of love and compassion. I was reminded of that when in one of the most emotional parts of the service for me I suddenly felt someone embracing me. As I opened my eyes next to me offering comfort was a good friend of mine from OLV parish in Wayne, Mary Ramsden, who was at the service with a good friend who had lost her husband on 9/11. That gesture brought back to me so very poignantly the comfort and outpouring of love my family and I knew after that tragic day.
The words of Pope Francis and the other prayer leaders of different faith traditions were the most important words we can hear today in a world so torn by violence and hatred over religion. Pope Francis said: "For all of our differences and disagreements we can live in a world of peace."
"We can and must build unity on the basis of our diversity of languages, cultures and religions and lift our voices against everything which would stand in the way of such unity."
"Together we are called to say NO to every attempt to impose uniformity and YES to a diversity accepted and reconciled."
"Such unity can only happen if we uproot from our hearts all feelings of hatred, vengeance and resentment."
The young Moslem Imam, Khalid Latif, a chaplain at NYU spoke in the following inspiring and challenging words:"Through our knowing each other today, let us move beyond a mere toleration of our differences and work towards a much needed celebration of them." "Let us be bold enough to build partnerships with new friends and allies and together be the reason that people have hope in this world, not the reason that people dread it."
The moving experience of being at the 9/11 site with Pope Francis and so many other family member and guests affirmed the wonderful and moving presentation we had on Monday Sept 21 at St Matthew's as members of the Jewish, RC and Methodist congregations gathered to listen to a presentation on Islam by Imam Deen Shareef. It was a packed house and a great opportunity for us all to grow in understanding and respect.
Both Rabbi Menasche East and Imam Shareef had some very interesting and challenging comments at the presentation regarding the source of evil in our world consistent with all three of the religious traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The rabbi said that the word DAAT in Hebrew means both love and knowledge as found in Genesis 4:1. Without knowledge love is not possible. This holds true in our Christian beliefs as well.
The Imam went one step further to say in Islam the word in Arabic for love must always be proceeded by knowledge and appreciation.
How well these concepts resonate with Pope Francis' reflections on Sept. 25.
Imam Shareef said the origin of the word for Satan in Islam is the word for bigotry. For Jews and Christians the origin of the word for Satan is diablos; that which separates and divides. How well theses concepts resonate with the words spoken at the 9/11 site at the Interfaith Service with Pope Francis.
I found it very timely that our presentation on Islam and the words of Pope Francis on Sept 25 in NYC were so consistent.
I really do believe the words of Pope Francis at the 9/11 Memorial Museum and the interfaith service itself were the most important of his visit to the USA because they spoke directly to the greatest fear and concern of so many in our world today: the violence caused by a narrow and fundamentalist view of religion. The horror of 9/11 is proof of the darkness that overshadows our world when we as a human family fail to try to understand one another and respect the ways people come to God.
I pray Pope Francis' visit to our country will not just be remembered as a nice event but rather that his loving and challenging words will truly effect the way we live out our lives.