Bishop Loverde Celebrates Sept. 11 Mass at Cathedral

By Michael F. Flach
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 9/19/02)

ARLINGTON —Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde was the celebrant and homilist of a Mass at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More commemorating the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

"Sept. 11. Again. One year ago we were shocked, outraged and frightened by the terrorist attacks in New York City, Arlington and Pennsylvania," said Bishop Loverde.

"Sometimes it seems so long ago. At other times, it seems like only yesterday. "Sometimes we think it must have been a terrible nightmare from which we will soon awake.

"People of goodwill throughout the world are still haunted by these nightmares.

"We are gathered in prayer now like we did last year as well," he said. "We gather in this holy place. Here we are in touch with the most innocent One of all-time Who was brutally murdered by those He came to save."

Bishop Loverde said forgiveness is never easy, especially when innocent victims are involved. But vengeance can never be the path of a true disciple of Christ, he said.

"Our hearts may still be bitter when we remember the evil," he said. "We must have a different disposition.

"We are not called to be milk toast Christians, but our natural rage must be turned into good, shaped by the Gospel," the bishop said.

He encouraged the congregation to pursue positive actions in the cause of justice and peace and to use the Sept. 11 anniversary to recall the basic elements of life — justice, family and faith.

"It’s not too late to replace the hustle to get ahead with the desire to tell those closest to use, ‘I love you,’" he said.

If Sept. 11, 2001, is a day of infamy, then Sept. 11, 2002, is a day of hope, Bishop Loverde said.

The bishop took part later that evening in an interfaith prayer service at St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Arlington.

Copyright ©2002 Arlington Catholic Herald.  All rights reserved.