9/11 site, sacred in itself

"Men and women go to their churches and temples not to find faith but to bring their own faith there and to have it symbolized and strengthened by the rituals and sacraments that speak knowingly to their depths."

That's as great a statement about religion as I've ever heard.

Thanks, Doctor Kennedy.

Bravo! I do not need to say anymore.

As per usual, very well written, Gene!
Bloomberg also did not allow the firefighters or police on the dais this Sunday. I guess he doesn't think they are necessary either, although many of them were among the dead on that horrible day. It would be great if the survivors and the families stayed away, to show the world what a turkey Bloomberg is.

"Perhaps he has never grasped the powerful symbolism of the firefighters, carrying their chaplain, Fr. Mychal Judge, as warriors once bore their dead chieftain on a shield, and placing him, dead of a heart attack as he worked to help others on that raging morning, tenderly before the altar of a nearby church."

Bloomberg may ban him, but Friar Mychal stands with us now, condemned even by our own Church for absolving of their sins our courageous firefighters and EMT's, as described eloquently in the Reverend Father John Dear SJ's book You Will Be My Witnesses: Saints, Prophets, and Martyrs

" . . . taking on the Mystery of Death with only love as their shield."

Beautiful.

Thank you, Gene.

I beg to differ. Bloomberg is correct. Even Abp Dolan agrees - Nothing to see here, move along. The ceremony has proceeded the way it has been planned as of today for the last 10 years. What sanctifies it is the experience of the families of the dead, who were of all races and all faiths. Why is everyone picking THIS year to complain? In the past 9 years has nobody noticed how the ceremony has been held? My answer to those questions is simple -- politics and media exposure. On year 9 no one cared except the local media (no kerfuffle). This year, all eyes are on the event so the religious punditry of America needs to dump on New York -- again.

To include one religious leader for prayers would mean the exclusion of many more. Poor Bloomberg is between a rock and a hard place on this one. Imagine if he invited a local Imam because many of the victims were Muslim. How about the kerfuffle THAT would bring about. Yes, people turned to their clergy, but that does not mean the clergy need to go be at Ground Zero. The anniversary falls on Sunday -- Churches are open.

Many in this, our fair city, also believe that it was religion that caused this particular horror, and do not wish it to be represented. One may agree or disagree with that particular statement as it is extreme, but it is out there and must ALSO be considered.

Still and all, count me amongst those who feel that having a bunch of religious celebrants there would be de trop. The ground is holy enough having been sanctified by the dead and the memories of their life as their names are read one by one for 4 hours.

--Andy Jo--

Outstanding as always. A beautiful reflection and memorial tribute.

PC run wild by Bloomberg.

Thank you for this profound reflection instead of the simplistic sermons we hear about war and peace.

Father Kennedy - he's still a priest to me - understands religious reality because he understands human reality. Religion is based on the deepest human values: love, generosity, respect, and through them all the real presence of God among his people. Thank you for this inspiring word. Father Basil De Pinto

Dear Gene, You are as eloquent as always. Would love to see you again. Jim

Thank you Eugene Kennedy for this eulogy, this reflection on 9/11. It is so true, they were so brave with their phones, calling a loved one, calling someone to say "We are being hyjacked" No cowards here. I weep because you have made it sacred again.

Gene Kennedy's essay on the mayor of NYC is an excellent view of humanity and the presence of the soul.

This is a very inspiring comment. We who watched this from the United Kingdom have never felt closer to our American cousins.

Eugene, this is you at your best. Thank you, thank you!

Lets focus on what's important.

As mayor, Bloomberg has endorsed and presided over the mass killing of 1 million children in New York. 1 million, thats' a lot. Well, not to NCR liberals.

"Blomberg cannot remove or disguise the religious and spiritual qualities that infuse the 9/11 site."

I don't think that he's trying to remove or disguise the religious and spiritual qualities that infuse the 9/11 site. As I understand it, there will be moments of silence during the memorial service that day. I think that the concern comes from the very real possibility that the chosen religious adherents will use the platform as a pulpit for furthering their social/political agenda. Then you have the very real concern that certain Christian luminaries would be offended (and outspoken) if they weren't chosen. Further, you get into the issue of what sects should be represented. For example, should a Muslim Cleric be invited? There are some people in this nation who would undoubtably take offense if a person of that specific religion was invited to offer a prayer. Or if a person from what some consider to be a "cult" was invited. In short, I would worry that by turning the memorial into a sectarian service that it would turn into a Christian sectarian service and that it would further serve to divide this nation. America doesn't need that. Far better to keep the government sponsored memorial service on September 11, 2011 secular.

Bob

This may be a picayune comment in your heartfelt article, but the first sentence of the fifth paragraph jumped out at me. You say Religion is not...manufactured in churches and force fed to people from childhood. I disagree because that was the experience of my grandparents, my parents, my 11 siblings and myself. We accepted and didn't question anything. I am now 87 but it was only in my early 30's that I realized that a "trusting faith" was different from the rites and rules of religion and that we had the right to use our intelligence and form our conscience.

I do enjoy your articles.

I find that I have to agree with Mayor Bloomberg on this one. Anyone who has planned a Catholic Funeral Mass for a family member is familiar with the rule that the Mass is about God, not the deceased; no eulogies allowed. This is a civic ceremony about remembering the deceased, not an interfaith prayer service.

In a deeper sense, the Mayor has not barred God from the ceremony, no one can. God will indeed be with each person there. What will be missing is a parade of dignitaries taking their moment in the sun on this sad anniversary.

I'm a faithful Canadian NCR reader. Beautifully written column but sadly the author speaks only of ministers and rabbis ,churches and temples...what of other faiths beyond our Christian Jewish alliance most notable the absence of the term mosques and imans ....

Mr. Kennedy mentions priests, ministers and rabbis. I find the order in whch they are listed intriguing. However, he did not mention imams, leaders of a religion that has many more members then does the Jewish religion. Ay, there's the rub.

My first reaction to the subject was as is our columnist's.

But then I remembered a little document called the Bill of Rights and its Equal Protection Clause. And the only way the good Mayor can assure that no prayer calling for the destruction of Islam or for the destruction of the rest of America will be voiced, is to keep all clergy off the podium. The "Ground Zero Mosque" fracas is evidence. And there are those few on the Evangelical side that would pray the former, and a few stray Imams who would pray the latter. Both such prayers would do great harm to the occasion.

Actually the mayor is simply abiding by the requests of the 9/11 families- who had the most input in the planning of this ceremony. That is the reason for it, and he should be respected for honoring their requests.

Peace and blessings.

I know that I was drawn to prayer as I witnessed the incomprehensible moments of 9/11. The reports of the memorials at the sites of the Twin Towers and the Pennsylvania crash sites refer to them as 'sacred.' Mayor Bloomberg has caved to the complaints of a very small confused and uninformed atheistic group who misinterpret the concept of separation of Church and State. Sad.

Dear Father Kennedy,
Thank you for this beautiful reflection. It is so sad that Mayor Bloomberg has done this, when as you rightly point out, it was the clergy
of each religion who comforted so many on that day. And, a Catholic priest,
who is a personal hero of mine, gave his life for his men.
People will pray and I also hope the people of New York let this mistaken man know what they would really have liked at the ceremony.
God bless you. I have followed you for many years and have always respected your thoughts.

This is an excellent article by the very fine and gifted writer Eugene C Kennedy. Unlike Mayour Blumbergs action and words, this article speaks to both the mind and the heart (innermost self). Thank you, thank you Eugene! I would like to highly recommend this special and timely article to all NCR readers. Paul Y

President Obama read a Psalm. I guess Bloomberg did not want to stir up Christians if Muslims were to pray, or Buddhist etc. I think he missed the boat.
Eugene, good analysis but as you pointed out, the remarks made to loved ones from those on board the plane showed that love was the dominate emotions which is God!

The decision to not allow clergy is simply the next step in the politically correct, relativistic world NCR craves! You cheered for his gay so-called marriage, why not this?

Thank you, Eugene Kennedy, for your article that was able to articulate the sentiments of so many!

You have written many brilliant articles. This one has inspiried me most. You have summed up the heart and depth of a day when ordinary people triumphed over pure evil! Thank you so much for exposing the money man mayor. He, so small of stature.

Don't feel bad. They excluded the police, firefighters, and EMTs, also who put their lives on the line and continue to suffer the after-effects as well.

Perhaps Mr. Mayor was afraid that some of them would point out how they have suffered, and had difficulty in obtaining the compensatory relief accorded to other disabled veterans.

This was one more opportunity for politicians to puff and posture and to exploit the survivor's families the shill for them.

Eugene Kennedy, I - who always value your insights - feel as if you've 'missed the mark' in this one. Now that the 10th anniversary memorial is past, I can honestly say, "I am grateful and I am glad there were no clergy involved in leading it." The People -- the common, ordinary, every day People -- who "are" the Church, who "are" God's hope and God's delight and God's joy -- shined beautifully! These are the real people who were hurting; these are the real people whose lives were forever changed - and in a holy way - to become more compassionate, more tender, and more merciful - more deeply sensitized to human suffering - and to the grace of God - than ever before. I am deeply honored to have witnessed the People honor and claim their true faith in just such a way!

Rebuilding undiminished Towers is the only way to honor those who died in them rather than those who killed them in order that the Towers be no more.Bloomberg has always been against rebuilding and is now chairman of the effort to see that the Tower footprints Osama bin Laden ordered be emptied stay empty holes across streets from smaller buildings,disproving any claim of resilience and showcasing the killers' triumph.
http://www.buildanewwtc.org/

Regarding: "Blomberg cannot remove or disguise the religious and spiritual qualities that infuse the 9/11 site. His decision seems so pitifully small in contrast to the greatness of the ordinary men and women who, by taking on the Mystery of Death with only their love as their shield -- like others in a Pennsylvania meadow and at the Pentagon -- made the space forever sacred on that morning."

- Do we as a people forever need clergy to lead our prayers and direct our thoughts to the sacred? Are there not times when the sacredness of the place and moment, and the goodness of the people so gathered are sufficient for the epiphany of the holy?

- Seems to me that the answer to the last question is 'yes', and so the answer to the first question is 'no'. The first sentence of the EK quote just above indicates that EK could agree.

- Religious life primarily and in a myriad of ways occurs in the domestic church, e.g., the household of faith; obviously without benefit of clergy. So, it is no stretch to think that those very same people are able to gather in a sacred space and by their presence to each other know the holy other; finding that the litany of the dead was itself a call to forgive.

- A thought that I had when the news broke about Mayor Bloomberg's decision was that in a way his vision for the whole day was 'sitting shiva'.

"With only love as their sheild...."

This article was so beautiful that that phrase from Scripture strongly came alive!

Thinking of the brave firemen, and other brave people who helped in that New York City inferno, "with only love as their sheild"! Really illuminating and helping my wounded heart. I have been struggling with loss and divorce pain for more than 5 years.

Thank you for this lovely memorial writing, offered maybe, at least on NCR, since it couldn't be declared for New Yorkers, on that TENDER DAY.

Yes, it is clear that Mayor Bloomberg's memorial decisions, cheapened this heart-wrenching moment of remembrance.

Thank-you unsung hero author, for good medicine, good balm, great writing!