Six-month anniversary of
Sept. 11 marked in ecumenical church service
After six months following the tragedies of Sept. 11, St. Maximilian Kolbe Catholic Church in Westlake Village on Sunday evening hosted a special ceremony of remembrance and a look into the future. It welcomed anyone and everyone of all faiths.
Guest speakers represented many religions as well, including a priest, a rabbi, a reverend, a Muslim brother and more. Representing Cantor Fitzgerald (a bond brokerage and block trading company that was headquartered in the World Trade Center) was West Coast representative William Rice.
The church was almost filled as guests of different cities came to remember those lost on 9-11. The evening was filled with prayers, poems, stories and song. The overall message was that all people of the world should unite and accept one another.
In an opening prayer by St. Maximilian parish manager Vince Tomkovicz, he said, "Muslims, Christians and Jews remember, and profoundly affirm, that they are followers of one God … nations seek the way of peace together."
After the prayer, Rice told a story that was difficult to tell.
"I’m in denial that all my friends (in the World Trade Center) are dead," Rice said. Cantor Fitzgerald’s office was on the 104th floor of one of the towers and 658 people, he said, died that day. "I’m not sure this church would hold 658 people," Rice said.
He explained why he would never forget Sept. 11and described the friends he lost.
An intercom system is used in block trading offices, Rice said, and everything that’s exchanged during the day is announced over the intercom so all traders know what’s going on. People from throughout the country can speak on the line and they did that morning while they were watching the flaming towers on TV.
"’Hang in there, we’re here with you,’" Rice said in an imitation of what was heard over the intercom. People from Boston, Dallas, Chicago and other cities shouted to Cantor Fitzgerald employees in the Twin Towers to run to the roof or use their clothing as makeshift gas masks.
"You can’t imagine how helpless you are when you’re 3,000 miles away," Rice said. His friends didn’t make it and he said he couldn’t explain what he felt and probably never would. But the one thing he said he learned was that all people must make a difference.
Employees of Cantor Fitzgerald who were still alive had to keep the business going even though it seemed to be gone, Rice said. They had to make sure the families of those who died were given the financial support they needed. Two days after the attack, the bond market re-opened and seven days later, he said, Cantor Fitzgerald re-opened.
"People had to wear lots of hats," Rice said. And many worked 24-hour days and many worked seven days a week. Dedicated employees made sure that $45 million in bonuses got to the victims’ families by Thanksgiving. And 25 percent of the company’s profits went to the families too, despite what the press has reported, Rice said.
"The point is," Rice said, "my friends are dead … But we’re still alive." He encouraged people to do something specials with their lives. "All of you can make a difference to somebody."
Dan Curry is a fourth generation firefighter of Los Angeles County and spoke of the bravery displayed by firefighters and police officers.
"My dad once said a firefighter must be a bit crazy," Curry said. "They’re running into a burning building when everyone else is running out." The many firefighters who sacrificed their lives didn’t enter the towers that day to be heroic, he said, but were heroic because they did.
Attendees of the ceremony on Sunday joined together in a candle lighting service.
"It’s wonderful how we all united together," said guest Jeannie Nolan of Oak Park. Bob and Rosemary Swanstrom of Thousand Oaks read about the ceremony earlier in the month and said they attended because they thought it was the proper thing to do. "We had a friend that worked in the towers," Bob Swanstrom said. But luckily his friend didn’t go to work on Sept. 11.
The ceremony lasted for two hours and the general response was positive.
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