What's new
By:
USCHO Fan Forum

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

  • The USCHO Fan Forum has migrated to a new plaform, xenForo. Most of the function of the forum should work in familiar ways. Please note that you can switch between light and dark modes by clicking on the gear icon in the upper right of the main menu bar. We are hoping that this new platform will prove to be faster and more reliable. Please feel free to explore its features.

9/11 - Never forgetting the tradgedy that day

Re: 9/11 - Never forgetting the tradgedy that day

Irish, You have raised one fine young lady. As a parent, I understand your feelings. As an American, I am proud! Thank her for me please.
 
Re: 9/11 - Never forgetting the tradgedy that day

For those of you who live outside the NY City and Washington, D.C areas, our lives have been changed more than many of you may know. We ride the subways and trains not knowing if the unknown person on the train with a backpack is the next terrorist. We go through security just to enter the office buildings we work in. Random anti-terrorist squads show up unannounced all over NYC at potential targets including well known buildings, train stations, subways, etc. They are dressed in full military gear with machine guns as their choice of weapons. This has become the norm rather than the abnormal. The firehouse next to my office lost 10 men on 9/11. There is a memorial to those 10 just inside the entrance to the station. The firemen leave the overhead doors open so the tourists can go in, see the memorial and take pictures. We are reminded every day what happened 9 years ago. Over 35 former students, parents of students and relatives of students died on 9/11 that were associated with my high school. My nephew lost his best friend on 9/11.

Today we had a special mass for those in our suburban Long Island community who lost their lives on 9/11. There were eight who died on 9/11 and two first responders who have succumbed to diseases they contracted during the search and rescue. One of our parish priests is a chaplain for the NYC Fire and Police Departments and was a first responder on 9/11. He organized the mass and ceremony which was a very emotional one for all. You could see in the faces of my neighbors who were first responders on 9/11, the sadness they still feel. Below is summary of what took place during the mass and ceremony from the church bulletin.

9/11 MEMORIAL DEDICATION CEREMONY

On Sunday, September 12, 2010, we will have a special Mass at Noon and Memorial Dedication in honor of the victims of the World Trade Center tragedy.

First, we will dedicate a bronze plaque on which will be mounted on two pieces of steel cut from the ruins of the Twin Towers. The plaque, mounted in the gathering space and suitably inscribed, will honor the police officers, firefighters, rescue personnel, as well as members of the Sacred Heart Parish family who also perished on 9/11/01.

Secondly, we will dedicate the 9/11 Stained Glass Rose Window over the main entrance, which contains the various symbols commemorating that day.

Third, we will bless two new marble statues: St. Michael – Patron of Police Officers, and St. Florian - Patron of Firefighters.

We are planning to have the Ceremonial Unit Color Guards from the New York City Police Department, the Port Authority Police Department, the Fire Department of New York City, and the Nassau County Police Department, present and participating in the ceremonies.

We are encouraging ALL members of the parish who are police officers, firefighters, and rescue personnel (active & retired) to attend IN UNIFORM,
since this celebration will also be to honor those who are still serving in these professions.

We invite and encourage any families in the parish who have lost loved ones at 9/11/01 to also to attend. The names of these civilians will be read at the Mass.
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
Re: 9/11 - Never forgetting the tradgedy that day

On a lighter note (sorry if I've shared this story before - one of my faves):

I have a cousin who lives out in the country in VA. Her husband is pretty handy, and got to know their neighbor by helping him out with chores around his farm. Turns out the neighbor actually made some pretty good $$$ during the early days of the dot-com craze and retired to the country to enjoy life - a very down-to-earth guy. How down to earth? Well, on 9-11, he was stuck in Chicago, flight canceled (of course), couldn't get a train, bus, rental car, rickshaw - everything fully booked. He called his wife and said, "Sorry, I just can't get out of Chicago - looks like I'm going to be stuck here for a few days."

She replied, "Honey, you have more than $100M in the bank. Go buy yourself a car and drive home!"

He said, "Oh, I could do that, couldn't I?" So he bought a nice Subaru Outback (that he was thinking about getting anyway for doing work on the farm) and drove home.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top