St. Robert Bellarmine Parish prays for healing and peace
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
When parishioners from St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, gathered for 10 a.m. Mass on Sept. 11, they were greeted in the church entry by a display of pictures, prayers and firefighter gear. These simple, but solemn, memorials were created by parishioners to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that took thousands of lives. A touching slideshow, accompanied by enchanting bagpipe and cantor music, was also a part of the memorial tribute.
The display in the vestibule had a Paschal Candle, a wooden cross, and several pictures. The pictures included the blue lights shining into the sky at the Pentagon, the firemen raising the American Flag at Ground Zero, the steel cross found amidst the rubble, the reflecting pool memorial at Ground Zero, are the blue lights shining into the sky at Ground Zero.
John Toutouchi, parishioner, and Freehold firefighter, contributed his firefighter equipment to the memorial, while parishioners, Janet Fitzgerald, Marty Weisman and the parish webmaster, Frank Estremera, created the slideshow with pictures of New York City and the recovery efforts. The slideshow was shown before each Mass, and can be viewed on the parish at www.strobert.com.
The slideshow presented many historic photos, like those of Pope Benedict XVI kneeling and praying at Ground Zero when he visited New York City in 2008, pictures of Sept. 11 memorials throughout the region, the new Reflecting Pool memorial in Manhattan, pictures of the construction site of World Trade Center One and an artistic rendering of the building when it is completed.
Msgr. Sam Sirianni, pastor, created his own memorial, as well, with an American Flag next to the baptismal font in the church. A prayer at the memorial in the vestibule read: “Dear God, In remembering these terrible events, we recognize our great need for your guidance and protection. We have painfully learned that our country is vulnerable and that violence can disrupt both individuals and nations.
“We pray then for healing for all the people whose lives were shattered in the attacks. We pray for those who defend our freedom. We pray for wisdom for our national leaders. We pray for peace, for our country and our world. Jesus, beloved Savior, as we remember, hold us in your loving hands.”
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When parishioners from St. Robert Bellarmine Parish, Freehold, gathered for 10 a.m. Mass on Sept. 11, they were greeted in the church entry by a display of pictures, prayers and firefighter gear. These simple, but solemn, memorials were created by parishioners to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks that took thousands of lives. A touching slideshow, accompanied by enchanting bagpipe and cantor music, was also a part of the memorial tribute.
The display in the vestibule had a Paschal Candle, a wooden cross, and several pictures. The pictures included the blue lights shining into the sky at the Pentagon, the firemen raising the American Flag at Ground Zero, the steel cross found amidst the rubble, the reflecting pool memorial at Ground Zero, are the blue lights shining into the sky at Ground Zero.
John Toutouchi, parishioner, and Freehold firefighter, contributed his firefighter equipment to the memorial, while parishioners, Janet Fitzgerald, Marty Weisman and the parish webmaster, Frank Estremera, created the slideshow with pictures of New York City and the recovery efforts. The slideshow was shown before each Mass, and can be viewed on the parish at www.strobert.com.
The slideshow presented many historic photos, like those of Pope Benedict XVI kneeling and praying at Ground Zero when he visited New York City in 2008, pictures of Sept. 11 memorials throughout the region, the new Reflecting Pool memorial in Manhattan, pictures of the construction site of World Trade Center One and an artistic rendering of the building when it is completed.
Msgr. Sam Sirianni, pastor, created his own memorial, as well, with an American Flag next to the baptismal font in the church. A prayer at the memorial in the vestibule read: “Dear God, In remembering these terrible events, we recognize our great need for your guidance and protection. We have painfully learned that our country is vulnerable and that violence can disrupt both individuals and nations.
“We pray then for healing for all the people whose lives were shattered in the attacks. We pray for those who defend our freedom. We pray for wisdom for our national leaders. We pray for peace, for our country and our world. Jesus, beloved Savior, as we remember, hold us in your loving hands.”
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