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9/12/21 Father Owen's Bulletin Message
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Dear Parishioners,
As we gather this weekend, we pay tribute to our 9/11 victims. Those who have lost loved ones, those who were injured and those who have died on that awful Tuesday morning 20 years ago. We all remember exactly where we were when the awful news broke. At that time, I was the young vicar (assistant priest) at St. Patrick Church in Chatham. Tuesday was my day off and I had been down at the shore for a couple of days. I remember rushing to the television to watch the news with shock and horror. I immediately drove to Chatham to help support the parishioners of St. Patrick during this awful time. As I drove on the turnpike, I could see the smoke from New York City and like everybody else, was filled with fear at the savage assault on our nation. During the days to follow, I ministered to 13 families whose spouse, parent, fiancé, child or family member was missing. Sadly, each of these beautiful people were eventually declared dead. I think back to the families that I visited on that awful evening; a young woman who had just had her first baby and husband worked in the World Trade Center, a woman whose fiancé was missing, a woman and her adult children, whose husband and father had been a lieutenant at the World Trade, a man in his 60s who had just retired, a young woman newly married, hoping to become pregnant. These stories and many more will be forever etched in my heart and most certainly in my prayers. My sister at the time, was working as third secretary at the Irish Consulate in New York and living midtown. I will always remember my shock on visiting her at her home to see soldiers all over the city with guns, a sight that we, as Americans are thankfully not used to. I also remember the masses that I celebrated in the following weeks where we as a community cried together, prayed together and embraced together, where we as Americans tried to comprehend what had happened to the beautiful people who were so grievously targeted.
Looking back 20 years later, we certainly can feel the hand of the devil in this barbaric act. Some people who hated our country and the values we uphold, tried to weaken our country and kill our spirit. We, however, are a nation who trusts in God and though our spirits were bruised, we have healed. We have healed from the pain but will never again be as innocent and as unaware of imminent danger as we were back then. Now we have security at all of our airports, public buildings and we have made precautions to keep us safe. We, however, need to understand that we live in a world sadly speckled by violence and hatred, by fear and anger. As Catholics we must always fight anger, hurt and prejudice. It would be wrong on every level to pick out one religious or ethnic group and dislike them for the actions of a few. Sadly, in many countries of the world, nations are ruled by autocrats. Good and hard-working people lack the freedom to make the decisions that we, as Americans sometimes take for granted. As we remember our nation and the victims of 9/11 at all of our masses this weekend, let us set our faith upon the face of Christ who offers justice, mercy and peace to every human being. We give God thanks in a special way for members of our armed forces, police officers, firefighters, doctors, nurses and first responders as they continue to guide, protect, heal and cure those in need as well as themselves. We thank God for them, and we ask the Lord to guide and protect them always.
Fr. Owen