Catholic Cemeteries of Long Island will host an open-air Remembrance Mass on September 11 to commemorate 25 years since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America. The Mass will be held at the Cemetery of the Holy Rood’s September 11th Memorial in Westbury, beginning at 1 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to arrive by 12:30 p.m.
The solemn service will be led by Bishop Robert Coyle of the Diocese of Rockville Centre and is open to family members of victims, first responders, Ground Zero workers and all members of the Long Island community. Coyle was commissioned in the U.S. Navy in 1988 and served twenty-four-and-a-half years on Active and Reserve Duty, including a three-year assignment aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) from 2000 to 2003. He was deployed to the Middle East from 2000 to 2001 and served in Operation Southern Watch and Operation Iraqi Freedom from 2002 to 2003. Coyle is a lifetime Long Island resident and has served as a Bishop in the Diocese since 2018.
The Cemetery of the Holy Rood’s September 11th Memorial, erected in 2003, is a striking black granite sculpture that serves as the centerpiece of a specially designated area of the cemetery set aside for victims of the terrorist attacks. The memorial currently bears the names of over 500 individuals lost on 9/11 and those who worked at Ground Zero and later succumbed to related illnesses. More than 40 names have recently been added to the memorial, bringing the total number of those honored to approximately 540. In front of the Memorial is the Pieta depicting the sorrow of the Blessed Mother and her fallen son, Jesus.
The names of those lost on 9/11 or from 9/11-related illnesses are being added to the memorial. Family members who lost loved ones are encouraged to submit their names using a special form with required information and attestation. The deceased’s full name and optionally, their profession or role, will be added to the memorial. The form is available online at https://CCLongIsland.org/9-11-memorial/.
“Twenty-five years have passed since the tragic events of September 11, 2001; for so many families and communities, the grief and the weight of that day remain very real,” said Richard Bie, CEO of Catholic Cemeteries of Long Island. “This Remembrance Mass, led by Bishop Coyle, is an opportunity to pause, pray, and honor all those we lost, not only those who perished on that terrible morning, but the courageous first responders and Ground Zero workers who gave so much of themselves in the days, months and years that followed, many at great cost to their own health and lives.”
Bie said the memorial “stands as a permanent place of reflection, tribute and solace. We invite all Long Islanders to join us as we remember them together.”
Seating at the Mass will be limited. Attendees are asked to RSVP by August 28 by completing the RSVP form at www.CCLongIsland.org or by emailing EventRSVP@CCLongIsland.org with their name and the number of attendees in their party.
For more information, including directions and parking details, please visit www.CCLongIsland.org or email EventRSVP@CCLongIsland.org.