September 11th, 2001 – September 11th, 2026

What has happened in 25 years?

It was a magnificent day. The sky was a clear, brilliant azure blue. The sun shone like a beacon on this late summer day. At 8:46 AM, all was shattered. Most of us know where we were when we heard that a plane had crashed into the North Tower of the Twin Towers. We thought: There must be a mechanical failure. Then, at 9:03 AM another plane crashed into the South Tower. Our world stopped. Was this done on purpose? Are we being attacked? The live coverage showed the towers burning with rising flames and dark smoke covering lower Manhattan. At 9:59 AM, the South Tower, measuring 1,362 feet, collapsed into itself and fell to the ground. The North Tower collapsed at 10:28 AM.

I was living at St. Paul the Apostle Church at 59th and 9th. I was a Roman Catholic priest, a member of the Paulist Fathers. Several days after the attack there was a note on our community bulletin board asking for priests to serve as chaplains at Ground Zero. I called the number and a day later found myself at a hotel on 6th Avenue being trained by the Red Cross on disaster relief. A few hours later, I and another priest were in a van being driven by a fireman from Alabama to Ground Zero. After multiple check points, we finally arrived at a white triage tent in front of a hotel. Leaving the van, I remember every sense was bombarded. What I first remember was the smell of burning gas and other disturbing smells that I could not identify. Looking over to where the towers had collapsed, it looked like a piece of weird, disturbing abstract sculpture made of broken concrete and bent steel, with fire and smoke.

The triage tent was divided into 2 sections: one was filled with first responders, police, and FBI agents. The other section was filled with doctors, nurses, and pathologists. Time moved slowly. We mostly stood in silence. Then a cart would arrive. First the FBI and police would talk with the driver. Then they would come to me and the other priest to tell us, “Father, we have human remains in this bag.” My colleague and I would say prayers and bless the remains. Everyone in the tents stood in silent reverence. Then a nurse would come and take the bag to the pathology tent. This continued for the 4 hours I was there. I continued ministering at ground zero once a week for a few months.

Beyond the unspeakable tragedy of this day. Beyond the starting a war. Beyond the unleashing of Islamic bigotry. Beyond all the deaths and sorrow and pain, there was a fleeting moment when we stood united as a people and a nation. The hope, as always, was that this would last. That somehow a tragedy like 9.11 would unite us and remove the barriers that stood between us as a people and nation. Unfortunately, it did not last. Now, twenty-five years later, we are more divided, more filled with hatred and bigotry than before 9.11. Our country once stood as an example of how differences can be overcome by compromise and diplomacy, by treating each person with dignity and respect, by freedom of speech, and religion, and the press. We stood as a light of hope to those peoples who come to our shores seeking a better and free life. Now we arrest, imprison, deport, or do worse to those who come.

I still hold to hope. As one who believes in the life, message, and teachings of Jesus Christ, I still hold tight to the hope that we can, and will, be better. That we can still be a light to a world in the shadows of so much darkness. I invite you this day to remember those who gave their lives, for their families and friends. And pray that what they died for might rise again out of the smoldering, dark place we are in today.

I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord! — Psalm 27:13–14