Editor's Desk: 5 Ways to Remember

By Michael F. Flach
Herald Editor
(From the issue of 9/5/02)

It’s hard to believe that the first anniversary of Sept. 11, 2001, will arrive next week. All of us will remember that day in different ways. For those who lost loved ones at the Pentagon, the World Trade Center, or in the Pennsylvania countryside, the images of that fateful day will never fade.

I can remember standing around the television in the HERALD office watching in disbelief as the tragic events unfolded in New York, only to be shocked even more to see black smoke billowing from the Pentagon just a few miles down the road.

As detailed on page 13 in this week’s edition, diocesan parishes and local organizations are remembering the anniversary in a variety of ways. We’re also pleased to share with our readers the reflections of Father Stephen McGraw, parochial vicar at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Falls Church, who, as fate would have it, was sitting in his car on a road near the Pentagon when the plane passed overhead before crashing into the building. He was one of the first priests on the scene (see page 14).

Emotional scars are bound to reopen next week. Catholic Charities of the Arlington Diocese is conducting a grief counseling workshop on Oct. 5 at St. Bernadette Church in Springfield for those who lost loved ones in the terrorist attacks (see page 11 for more details).

AmericanCatholic.org, the Web site of St. Anthony Messenger magazine, is offering its visitors 5 Ways to commemorate the terrorist attacks and their aftermath. In the Franciscan tradition, the 5 Ways emphasize a peaceful approach to the anniversary, with an opportunity for prayer, action and interaction with others. The 5 Ways are:

• Pray the "Peace Prayer" of St. Francis, then post prayer intentions and pray for the intentions of others.
• Read and reflect on stories in St. Anthony Messenger about Father Mychal Judge, the New York Fire Department chaplain killed in the attack; Father Chris Keenan, who replaced Father Judge as Fire Department chaplain; and Gerard Baumbach, whose son escaped from the World Trade Center.
• Make a "time pledge" to work for peace in the world at the Web site www.pledgepeace.org.
• Discuss the anniversary with others at AmericanCatholic.org's Sept. 11 message board.
• Send a Catholic e-card in remembrance from the Web site www.catholicgreetings.org. Father Judge's daily prayer is also offered as an e-card on the site.

"People may feel overwhelmed by the atrocities of Sept. 11 and the presence of terror," said John Bookser Feister, editor of AmericanCatholic.org. "We're asking them to turn to their faith for a way to cope and move ahead. We want to give them the resources to do something about what happened: to pray and talk with others, to commit to working for peace, to reflect and to connect with loved ones. We hope that Catholics and people of faith and hope will find comfort here."

The 5 Ways feature can be found at http://www.americancatholic.org/Features/911.

The Arlington Catholic HERALD’s Web site (www.catholicherald.com) has established a link to this site as well.

AmericanCatholic.org, launched in 1996, is run by the Franciscan friars of St. John the Baptist Province (O.F.M), who also produce St. Anthony Messenger magazine and operate St. Anthony Messenger Press. AmericanCatholic.org was named Best Web Site by the Catholic Press Association in 2001.— M.F.F.

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