On Friday, Sept. 25, 2015, I was honored to be invited to the 9/11 Memorial with my girlfriend who lost her husband. What an experience it was. First to be surrounded by 1000 who were family members of those who perished in the 9/11 attacks, was moving. These people have created a sister/brotherhood. You were able to see the respect they had for each other. Any one of them would go out of their way to help another. I witnessed it many times.
As the hour grew closer to 11:30 AM, the time the Pope was to arrive, the excitement level rose higher and higher. Once the Pope entered the area of the South Tower, there were cheers that you were able to feel within your body. Yet there was a sense of reverence at the same time. It wasn’t football stadium cheering that I saw on the television, it was cheering that vocalized deep love for our Holy Father.
And then the moment happened where the Pope stepped up to the South Tower fountain wall. The moment He came into my view. I climbed on the barrier and sat on top of it to ensure I got an unobstructed view. At that moment of first seeing Him with my own eyes, was something I’ll never forget. I must have been just 75 feet away from Him. I was taking pictures like crazy.
When the Pope bowed His head, the 1000+ people fell silent. It was remarkable. I stopped taking pictures and said to myself, I better watch this and be a part of it. So there I was sitting on top of the barrier praying with the Pope. I had butterflies in my stomach. My hair on my arms was standing up. The water was running in the fountain, the respectful silence filled the air and my peace-filled heart felt like it would burst. That would have been enough of an experience for me. But no.
The Pope turned to the crowd of people I was standing with and He blessed us. That’s when tears trickled down my face. I couldn’t not have been prouder at that moment to be a Catholic. I could not have felt more blessed, fortunate and loved.
Truly a time in my life I will not forget. Truly a time that has changed me in some small way.