Hundreds Turn Out for 9/11 Anniversary Mass, Blessing of the Shields

A small crowd began to gather by the Kings Park 9/11 Memorial on the corner of Church Street and Old Dock shortly before one.  A clear beautiful sunny day laid the backdrop for a simple but reverent ceremony.

Hundreds of St. Joseph’s parishioners filed out of church around 1:15 after attending a special mass that included the Blessing of the Shields for police officers and firefighters in the community.  

Many in uniform, joined by their families stayed for the 9/11 tribute that was held on the grounds of RJO by the memorial rock that bears the name of Kings Park residents who perished that horrific day.

Patch spoke to the Ruggiero family, the Polhmann family, the Stein family, Tricia Dwyer-Johnson, Linda Foster Sandberg and Tina Kistner.  They all shared the same sentiment with regard to the ceremony – they came down to honor all the victims of 9/11 and to show support for the Kings Park community members who lost a loved one.

“We’re a very close community – I had come out to pay tribute, it’s the least I could do,” said Kistner. 

Dwyer-Johnson lost a few cousins in the terrorist attacks at the Twin Towers, Kings Park residents Gregory Stajk and Marty McWilliams were her cousins.  She also lost her cousin Patrick Dwyer of Smithtown.

Other Kings Park 9/11 families were present including the Butlers and the McWilliams.  There were senior citizens, toddlers, boy scouts and veterans of war –shoulder to shoulder, Jewish, Catholic, Lutheran and Protestant, gathered to mourn a national tragedy together. 

Rev. Sean Gann of St. Joseph's Church opened the ceremony and led about four hundred residents in the Pledge of Allegiance and the national anthem. The anthem, it started as a low hum but grew louder and louder, growing in strength to the final chorus.   

Pastor Robert Shoplin from Abiding Presence Lutheran Church in Fort Salonga said the Invocation.

“Heavenly Father, we know you were there on that day ten years ago and you are here amongst us in our acts of courage and faith today,” he said.

The complete silence in between speakers and songs was heavy and represented the sadness that permeated the mood of the day.

Rabi Jacob Benzaquen gave the Benediction in Hebrew and English.

“To the souls of all our brethren, may they rest in peace,” ended the prayer.

Taps were played by two former KPHS students and ceremonials guns were fired.  An impromptu round of God Bless America began in the front row of the crowd with  Maureen O’Brien, music teacher at William T. Rogers Middle School and former music teacher R.J.O. educator Robin Paola.  The song spread rapidly so that once again the solemn but patriotic crowd’s voices grew to a roar.

As Father Sean culminated the ceremony reminding everyone that the great work of the nation continues.  As the crowd dismantled slowly, community members greeted each other with hugs and kisses and people waited on line to give their sympathy the families who lost a loved one ten years ago on 9/11/2001.