Parish History
AFTER TRAGIC SEPTEMBER 11,
FAITH AND ABIDING HOPE FIRE OUR COMMUNITY
By William C. McGuire
First there was shock and desperate disbelief. And then, God's grace began to find its way to us. In the immediate and mind-numbing moments and hours after the attack on the World Trade Center, if there was also fear here, and the ragged edge of panic that too often accompanies it, this Sound Shore community and this Parish, like so many ringing New York City, quickly went past that to more redeeming emotions. Concern for others, especially the missing, their families, the rescue workers, and the children. The need for spiritual solace and prayerful unity. And a growing groundswell of hope that would express itself in faith in action. It has stayed with us through the full impact of the tragedy, the anthrax attacks, the strain of the war and new disaster. In a spiritual sense, Ground Zero came home to every New York suburban community, and through St. Augustine's and the good people of our town and village, we all pulled together and did our time "working the pile" and bringing what comfort we could to those who had lost so much.
Father Antony Gatt was in a dentist's chair when the first word of a plane crashing into one of the Twin Towers reached him. It was a natural reaction to think in terms of an accident, but on leaving the office and looking up at the clear blue morning sky he realized how could that be?
By the time he reached the rectory, the full impact of this horrific tragedy had unfolded and he was torn by mixed feelings. "As a priest and a man I was pulled toward downtown Manhattan," he said. "I wanted to do the kind of work that Father Mychal Judge (Chaplain, FDNY) was doing when he lost his life. I felt I should be at the site, or a trauma center or morgue. But as we began to hear of the direct impact on our Parish, I realized my ministry was right here."
Beacon in the Community
As the morning rapidly progressed, the priests of St. Augustine's began to get details of the three families who had loved ones missing at the WTC, and Monsignor Walter Kenny decided to hold midday and evening Masses to pray for the missing and dead, and for the rescue effort. Parishioner Christine Randolph recalled the confusion of that morning and the reassuring calm that she experienced at the first service. "On the morning of the 11th, my husband Greg was returning from an out-of-town business trip, touching down just before the attack. He got home about 10:30. We were shocked by what had happened and needed somewhere to go to find strength and support in others, to help one another."
"It was such a comfort to see familiar faces at that first Mass that Monsignor had," said Karen Hirdt. "I went again that evening with a visiting non-Catholic friend of mine and saw again, in the pews, not just our regular parishioners but Episcopalians, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Jews. So many people I knew from our village all drawing together. It was amazing and it still feels very good to be a part of this community."
It was also a Mass periodically punctuated by emotional reunions as commuters who had been delayed in the city, and in some cases had been unaccounted for, drifted into St. Augustine's on their return to Larchmont. So the hour passed suspended between sadness and gravity, gladness and prayerful hope.
"The most vivid memory I have of the first evening Mass," added Sally McGuire, "is of all the couples there together with their young children. Praying, hoping for survivors, as we all were then. We were all seeking some sense of security, of solace, a center point. It was such a horrendous situation and there they were, young parents, handling it as best they could, and should, and teaching their kids something very important. Despite everything, it was wonderful to see."
In the aftermath of that morning's destruction, St. Augustine's quickly had become what Karen Hirdt called "a beacon in the community." To Christine Randolph it was in no small part because "Those special Masses met a common need. And I think everyone who participated came away stronger. That coming together was also an opportunity to see others and exchange information and concerns, a discussion and reaching out among neighbors, often with very practical results. But all of it was very special and necessary just then for families. Most of all, as I stood there at Mass with Greg I remember feeling very lucky."
Comfort to the Bereaved
On Wednesday, September 12, Father Gatt took his first steps toward what would become an outreach effort to the St. Augustine's families of the missing. He found it especially hard at times to find the right words. Yet, he was also personally inspired by the resolute faith and courage of many of the relatives and friends he met in these families. Eventually, over the next several weeks, Memorial Masses were held at St. Augustine's in memory of each of the four dead, including Patricia Helen, the unborn child of Helen Crossin-Kittle. Each service was well attended and a special moment in the history of our Parish.
Informal networks of concerned parishioners and community members also looked to do all they could to offer comfort to the bereaved. "So many people wanted to do something," said Sally McGuire. "And they did. Pitching in and taking care of little things. Providing prepared meals. Running family errands. It adds up, and people appreciate it even when, especially when they are suffering."
Anne-Mieke Smeets reflected on the continuing need for expressions of concern for bereaved families."We should do everything we can to help these families in an ongoing way for a long time to come. These terrible events can remind us that family death is always so hard for everyone involved. People in the community and personal friends of the World Trade Center families have been great in doing things like taking the kids to ball games and helping out with baby-sitting. But there is a constant demand for this kind of thing, especially with sudden or premature death but also involving victims of cancer, heart attack and other diseases. So we can all learn from this devastating and very sad experience how we each can make a difference day in and day out."
Father Antony, who leads a regular bereavement group for St. Augustine's parishioners, began a special bereavement program at the rectory for families of victims of the WTC tragedy on the evening of November 12. A number of families from several area Catholic parishes were invited to participate along with those from our own Parish.
Parish Council President Jerry Baum said that the Council and the Parish have arranged for a memorial gift in the name of those lost by our Parish on 9-11. A new silver ciborium carrying the engraved names of each of the dead (on the underside of the base), and the words "In Loving Memory," should be consecrated and in use at our Church before Christmas. It is on order from Spain.
The special daily Masses continued that first week after 9-11, and on Wednesday, September 12, the Parish also participated in an extraordinary Intercongregational Community Service of Prayer at the Larchmont Temple. Hosted by Rabbi Jeffrey Sirkman, the interfaith service drew representation from all the Village's houses of worship, a cross-section of the community overflowing into the Temple's foyers and entranceways. The service was carried on Larchmont-Mamaroneck Community TV. Monsignor Kenny spoke eloquently to the audience of a visit he had made this past summer to Auschwitz and drew a parallel on the evils perpetrated on people there and the events of September 11. Father Gatt and Father Joseph De Santo were also in attendance. Anne-Mieke Smeets remembered the strong sense of spiritual community at this special event. "It was packed, with many, many high school age children. There was in every way a feeling of coming together in that room. I hope it lasts more than a few days or weeks. I hope it lasts for a long, long time."
Spontaneous Assistance to the Rescuers
Friday, September 14, Karen Hirdt's usual busy preparations for the St. Augustine's-sponsored Midnight Run in behalf of the city's homeless and needy, were complicated by a spontaneous and somewhat miraculous effort to assist with the WTC recovery work. "I had been contacted by Megan McCarthy Scarpa, who lives just across the street from the Church. She felt strongly that the community could and should do something concrete to help with the needs of those doing the rescue work down at the WTC site and she asked our help. Both in terms of getting the word out and as a gathering place for materials. Megan was the original driving force behind something that rapidly spread throughout the area and really took off. She made the calls and did the work and brought great spirit to the effort. Wendy Brooks of the Larchmont Temple was also very instrumental."
The delivery hours (5:30 to 7:30 p.m.) happened to coincide with the evening Mass at St. Augustine's and soon trucks, vans and SUVs full of bottled water, socks, underwear, sweat clothes, gloves, face masks, flashlights, candy bars, search dog booties and sundries were snaking their way slowly down Larchmont Avenue, to turn into their drop-off destination, the St. Augustine's cafeteria. As darkness fell, Father Joe De Santo, trusty flashlight in hand, took up a prominent position directing traffic with a firm command and sureness born of enforcement experience. (There were no collisions; near misses don't count!)
Bruce Habig was there with a few of his Cub Scouts patrol group: Steven Van Eyck, Sam Cuello, Joseph Ochsner, Byron Bunda and son Matthew Habig, each of whom volunteered to help unload, sort and reload the donated WTC supplies. Bruce perhaps felt the attack more than most since he works across the street from the WTC on Liberty Street. "Everybody, in a situation where we had been feeling so helpless, was suddenly contributing, doing something if only in a small way, to join in with the people down there in lower Manhattan doing the actual work. Everyone felt the change in mood and spirit and it was electric," said Bruce. "People would ask for whatever was needed, what we were missing, where we were short, and then they would make a call or make another run, and the needed goods would suddenly appear. The cafeteria was jammed with merchandise."
Bruce and the Scouts had crafted a big poster sign to help direct traffic down the St. Augustine's driveway. He was amazed as he watched at the cheerful efficiency of the entire operation. "We really had a good group of people, maybe more than fifty volunteers who kept spelling or replacing one another, some leaving for services or other commitments. They put together a nice system for segregating the materials and repacking them for final shipment. People would pull up in their cars, pop the trunk, unload with the volunteers and then say, 'Do you need anything else?'" He noticed as well, that in addition to individual and family donations, many generous contributions and deliveries were sponsored and arranged by local merchants and businesses and their employees.
The Scouts and volunteers helped pack up trucks and vans provided through the Larchmont Fire Department and Frank Webers of Collins Brothers Movers (who also provided heavy duty cartons), and four big shipments were soon on their way to Ground Zero's supply centers. No sooner was this work done, than the regular Midnight Run kicked into gear and continued on into the night.
Concern for Our Children
People coming together in the first days, such as at St. Augustine's and the Interfaith service at Larchmont Temple, also resulted in other community efforts. Sheli Jeffry was in contact with many parents particularly concerned about their younger children and what they were seeing on TV and witnessing. "Many people felt that there should be some service geared specifically toward the younger ones and their families," she said. She and others got involved. The Larchmont Temple, with its large tent already in place for the holy days, agreed to play host on September 21, and about four hundred children and adults of all faiths came out to pray, sing and reassure one other together.
"The event was targeted on the K thru 5th grade levels and flyers went out to the schools," Sheli said. "There was a concurrent "Penny Drive" for the Red Cross that raised about $800. (I broke the Coin Star machine at Stop & Shop. Twice.) It was a great turn out in every way. Father Antony, Rabbi Sirkman and other clergy were involved. They were particularly wonderful with the children. We had terrific live music and songs of all faiths. I think everyone, most of all the children, felt better for it."
The children are always a concern of Mary Spollen, Director of Religious Education for St. Augustine's, and never more so than in the days following the tragedy. "I wanted to find the right words, the best words to assist our Religious Ed teachers and spiritually comfort our young ones. So I searched on the Internet, and reached out to other teachers and church and parish resources" she remembered. "I was also able to exchange information with the Director of the French American School, next door, and while we have always enjoyed a cordial relationship, I think this very sharing has dramatically expanded the positive cooperation between us."
"It is the classic problem of why do bad things happen to good people, or how can a loving God permit such evil and pain? Our new school year was beginning and the 16th was Catechetical Sunday, when parents, students and teachers get together to kick off the new term. In the end we focused on God's abiding goodness and love, and the constructive and healing power of prayer," she said.
Prior to the first classes, a brief prayer service was held for the teachers and they were provided with a packet of materials containing spiritual and psychological guidance for times like this. In addition, teachers of the older grades received background information on Islam.
In response to the question what was the nub of the advice she had offered to parents, Mary said it came down to: "Deal with the issue only if the children specifically bring it up. We told our teachers to be certain not to take it beyond where parents would want to go. As a practical matter, many of our teachers found that they sensed that allowing the children to express themselves in their own words through their own shared prayers was very effective."
In November, 5th grade Religious Ed teacher Meg Hosey launched a program of raising funds for local families affected by the tragedy by tie-dying T shirts in bright red and blue hues, for resale in the community. The children did a great job of creating the shirts and then selling them.
A Message to England
So what does it all mean? What do we take with us for the rest of this struggle against terrorism, and toward unity and growth? What do we take with us for the rest of our lives? How do we best honor and remember the dead? Father Antony, our goodhearted "Brit" in residence, offers us a special perspective. "In many ways the immediate aftermath of the WTC reminded me of Northern Ireland, of Belfast. Where so often, everyone is waiting, in a state of numbness, for the next wave, the next shock. Exhausted, resources depleted, people have to struggle to get up and get on with their lives and they say, how can I do this?"
"This kind of spiritual, physical and mental test can bring people together in unity. It can bring people in large numbers to their places of worship. But if we really want to change, to use these terrible events as an occasion for deep spiritual renewal we have to work at it and keep rededicating ourselves. If this new found sense of unity and religious awakening is to be more than a temporary fix, a spiritual band aid, we have to continually focus on the fragility of life, the preciousness of human relationships, and not take God or those who love us for granted. And we have to keep on engaging with people, coming out of ourselves to give ourselves to others."
On September 20, the Newbury News which serves Father Antony's old Parish in Thatcham,England, published an interview with him in which, in the wake of the disaster, he sang the praises of the Larchmont community, the people of St. Augustine's and of all New Yorkers. It was a deeply sincere and inspiring article. With his permission, we will conclude on his concluding paragraph to the people back in England:
"Last week we had an interfaith service at the local Jewish Temple. People of all races and creeds united to pray for the dead and reach out to those who have been bereaved. There have been daily Masses and services in all the churches and places of worship. Recently, multitudes of people gathered in churches, in the streets, in parks, outside doorways and held lighted candles. Yes, they held in their hands the symbol of the light of God's love, the light of God's hope, and the light of God's healing. I feel they were also saying that whatever "lights" go out in the city of New York, the light and flame in a New Yorker's heart will be always burning. It is unquenchable."
