A moving event for the final day of his visit is the Pope’s visit to ground zero in New York, excerpted here from an article posted on Zenit.
This will have a great impact—as will all of the events of his US visit—on the relation of all religions with public policy and that is a very good thing.
BENEDICT XVI PRAYS FOR PEACE IN VIOLENT WORLD
Blesses Site of 2001 Terrorist Attacks
NEW YORK, APRIL 20, 2008 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI began the final day of his U.S. visit by blessing the site of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, and meeting with survivors and relatives of the victims.
During the Pope's solemn visit to ground zero today he appealed to the God of peace to "bring your peace to our violent world: peace in the hearts of all men and women and peace among the nations of the earth."
The Holy Father arrived at ground zero in the popemobile, on an overcast, chilly morning. He walked a short way to the site by the north tower's footprint and knelt in private prayer. After a few moments he rose to light a memorial candle, and then recited a prayer aloud in which he prayed for the victims and survivors of the tragedy.
"O God of love, compassion, and healing," the Pontiff said, "look on us, people of many different faiths and traditions, who gather today at this site, the scene of incredible violence and pain."
"Give eternal light and peace to all who died here," he continued, remembering the first-responders, firefighters, police officers, emergency service workers and the Port Authority personnel, and "all the innocent men and women who were victims of this tragedy simply because their work or service brought them here on Sept. 11, 2001."
Lampstand Foundation website, http://www.lampstandfoundation.org/
"The sinner is at the very heart of Christianity. Nobody is so competent as the sinner in matters of Christianity. Nobody, except the saint." Charles Peguy (1873-1914)
About
- David H. Lukenbill
- I am a California native, married, we have one daughter and live close to the American River with two cats and all the wild critters we can feed. I am a management consultant to nonprofit organizations and have an Associates of Arts degree in Administration of Justice from Sacramento City College, a Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Behavior from the University of San Francisco and a Master of Public Administration degree, also from the University of San Francisco.