[From Deb Craig] St John’s, Palmerton hosted a return trip to NYC to revisit St John’s the Divine Cathedral, St. Paul’s Chapel and Ground Zero. During our first trip to NYC, in December of 2007, the Cathedral was still being renovated and many areas were inaccessible. Parishioners and a guest from St. John’s Palmerton, All Saints’, Lehighton and St. Stephen’s, Whitehall witnessed four people ordained as Deacons during the mass at the Cathedral prior to our tour; a very moving event.
Our tour took us through 6 of the 7 Chapels (7th was being used for an event), where our guide gave us insights on our surroundings. We were shown the areas that were previously not available, and enjoyed each and the displays and their meanings. Outside we were able to tour the Biblical garden and walk through the Friendship Park and were able to enjoy the beauty of the flowers in bloom and also the three pet peacocks that roam the grounds.
Revisiting St. Paul’s was another emotional experience for many of us. The displays set up in memorial not only recognizes George Washington worshipping here, but more recently the 9/11 tragedy. The little Chapel only a block away is now not only a house of worship, but a living memorial to the responders. Displays of where they rested and wept so pulled at our hearts. Walking through the back of the Chapel and then into the cemetery with headstones dating back to the 1700’s, you see that many of them were very young children.
Ground Zero is fenced and enclosed and difficult to see with the reconstruction. In some areas you can see a small portions of the huge task at hand. With that said, many of us found a view and were faced once again with memories of the horror of the events of that day. Personally it was overwhelming. There was Fire 10, one of many Fire Departments that provided responders, which has a memorial set up. Their loss is acknowledged with a wall of tears and along the side of a building nearby with a 56 foot bronzed sculpture of the event that lists the names of 344 fire fighters who gave all.
Next door is Tribute WTC Visitors Center run by the families with many displays and other emotionally moving tributes.
On a lighter note, the city was hosting a “Romanian Street Festival”. We were able to walk for blocks filled with different vendors of various wares and many types of foods. We shopped and enjoyed some time just browsing the streets of the city.
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