The Catholic News & Herald 1
September 14, 2001
September 14, 2001 Volume 11 t Number 1
A NATION MOURNS S e r v i n g C a t h o l i c s in Western North Carolina in the Diocese of Charlotte
Bishop urges ‘prayer for entire nation’ in wake of attacks
By JIMMY ROSTAR Associate Editor CHARLOTTE — Bishop William G. Curlin on Sept. 11 joined with religious leaders across the world in lamenting terrorist attacks against the United States, while at the same time calling for prayer and healing in the wake of the tragedy. In three separate services on the day of the worst terrorist attacks ever against the United States, Bishop Curlin weaved a theme of asking God to guide people in achieving worldwide peace. “Today is a day of mourning for our nation and our world,” said Bishop Curlin during a morning prayer service in the Diocese of Charlotte Pastoral Center minutes after news of the attacks was reported. “The most horrible instances of violence have unfolded before our very eyes,” he said as images of destruction wrought by four hijacked aircraft were broadcast from New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon in Washington and a field outside Pittsburgh. “So often in these times, we hear about the tragedy of violence in Israel, in Palestine, in Bosnia,” the bishop said. “Now, that horror has come home.” Parishes across the diocese opened their church doors following the terrorist attacks, inviting parishioners
Want to help? To financially contribute to the relief effort, make checks payable to the Diocese of Charlotte and send to 1123 S. Church Street, Charlotte, N.C. 28203. Write “Victims of Disaster” in the memo. To find out where you can donate to the much-needed blood supply, call (800) GIVE LIFE or visit the American Red Cross Web site at www.redcrosshelps.org.
CNS photo by Bob Roller
for personal prayer, Masses and prayer services. More memorial services and Masses throughout the diocese were being planned for later in the week. In Charlotte, Bishop Curlin offered his noon Mass in the pastoral center to the victims and their loved ones. “In the wake of this profound attack on human life, we pray for those who have died and for God’s mercy upon those who were wounded,” he said during the Mass. “We pray for those whose loved ones will not be coming home tonight. Indeed, we pray for our entire nation.” In addition to the two services at the pastoral center, Bishop Curlin presided at an evening memorial Mass in St. Patrick Cathedral. Some who gathered wept as the bishop offered prayers for the deceased. At each of the three gatherings, the bishop voiced his hope that people will redirect a desire for revenge into a positive, Christ-like response. “We must not let hate rule our hearts,” the bishop said. “If we do, then we are truly defeated. If we do, we will have lost as a nation. Yes, we must defend ourselves. But we cannot let our anger, our despair, our desire for revenge defeat us. That is not the way of Jesus. “From the cross, Jesus Christ looked down upon his murderers and said, ‘Father, forgive them.’ We must keep that in our hearts as we pray for our brothers and sisters in this time of deep sorrow.” Contact Associate Editor Jimmy Rostar by calling (704) 370-3334 or e-mail jtrostar@charlottediocese.org
CNS photo from Reuters
Above: Firemen work around the remains of the World Trade Center after both towers collapsed. Planes crashed into the two towers Sept. 11, leading to their collapse. Above left: Smoke from the Pentagon building in Arlington, Va., billows across Washington, seen in this rooftop view from the offices of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. An American Airlines jet crashed into the building Sept. 11, shortly after two other planes flew into the World Trade Center in New York.