Community gathers to mourn, find support after terrorist attacks
By ALLY JAY
News Writer
Roughly five hours after the last plane crashed, approximately 6,000 Notre Dame and Saint Mary's students, staff, faculty and their children gathered on South Quad to cope with chaos through a Mass presided over by University President Father Edward Malloy.
As the sun shone down on South Quad, the Mass began with opening comments from Father Mark Poorman, vice president for student affairs, and Malloy.
"From 8:45 I've been watching TV like many of you, listening to eloquent spokespeople and statesman trying to make sense of what happened. All I can do is to draw on the well of faith we share," said Malloy.
Malloy also urged the Notre Dame community to take support and solidarity from one another, and to take advantage of the support strategies offered by those in the Coleman-Morse Center.
Throughout the Mass, many students followed Malloy's advice and sat on the grass, huddled together with their arms draped around one another. Some students were visibly teary while others appeared drained and shocked from the day's events.
Although the feeling of sorrow seemed to permeate the crowd, students, faculty and staff had mixed reasons for coming to the mass.
Professor's Angela Gugliotta and Michael Kremer brought their three daughters to the Mass.
"It's important for our children to understand that compassion and forgiveness should be the center of our lives and the Mass tells us that. These are qualities that will be needed to rely on to stand against the hatred and anger that may be unleashed in reaction to this violence," Gugliotta said.
Others came to the Mass to offer prayers for friends and family missing after the tragedies that occurred in Pittsburgh, New York, and Washington, D.C.
"Two of my friends had internships for this fall at the World Trade Center, and are MIA. No one has heard from them," said senior Kathy Harter.
Junior Bryan Bull also attended the Mass in hopes of finding support from the Notre Dame community.
"I came to experience the unity of the community as opposed to the destruction I've seen throughout the day and to pray for the healing of those injured."
Others came to look for answers.
"I don't have any answers ... I came to Mass to possibly find some," said senior Brendan Harris.
All News Stories for Wednesday, September 12, 2001
