wfn.org | Trinity Wall Street re-opens after seven weeks in the 'frozen zone'

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2001-320

Trinity Wall Street re-opens after seven weeks in the 'frozen zone'

by Nathan Brockman

     (Trinity News) Trinity Church Wall Street, until recently tucked into the 
southeastern corner of lower Manhattan's "frozen zone," gathered Sunday, November 
4 for the first worship service inside its imposing neo-Gothic building since the 
World Trade Center attacks of September 11.

     There were echoes during the parish Eucharist of some of Ground Zero's ever-
present symbols: smoke came in welcome puffs of incense, while water was used not 
to extinguish fires but to cover the foreheads of two crying babies in the Rite 
of Baptism.

     The smell of things burning lingered, yet the mood inside the church was one 
in stark contrast to that seven weeks ago, when the building shook and took heavy 
hits of debris from the collapsing towers. On Sunday, some waited expectantly for 
worship to begin. Some closed their eyes for prayer. Others gazed upward, 
captivated by the rich reds and blues of the stained-glass saints.

     The church was filled to capacity. Congregants were eager participants in 
what was at once both an ordinary worship service and, as many called it, "a 
miracle."

     A 20-strong procession entered the church after Trinity's rector, the Rev. 
Daniel P. Matthews, and its vicar, the Rev. Samuel Johnson Howard, had opened the 
great bronze doors facing Wall Street in response to the knocking of the vicar 
bishop of the Diocese of New York, the Rt. Rev. E. Don Taylor. Later, Taylor 
preached a moving, soaring sermon in which he told the congregation: "God wipes 
away our tears."

'Good to be back'

     Sitting unassumingly in the back of the church were Kay Feurer and 
Bernadette Nolan. Both were Roman Catholic and both had traveled from out-of-town 
to visit New York City. "It's very emotional to be here," said Nolan. "This is 
exactly the right role a church should be playing," said Feurer.

     Long-time parishioner Joan Hepburn said, "It was overwhelming to come home. 
This church does so much for the poor all over the world. I'm nurtured here It 
feels good to be back."

     Seven weeks ago, Trinity Church was playing a different role.

     After the planes hit, 13 people entered to pray. An impromptu worship 
service was organized. The towers came down, shaking the old church, dimming the 
stained glass windows with dust. More sought shelter, staying as the smoke and 
debris hovering in the high reaches of the nave slowly descended. Over an hour 
and a half later, all left safely.

     The parish is over 300 years old, and has served lower Manhattan since it 
was a village.

     During the closure of the main church, the parish was able to keep her 
chapel, St. Paul's, at Broadway and Fulton Street, open and to turn it into the 
center of a relief operation assisting thousands of volunteers and relief 
workers.

An act of hospitality

     Trinity's parishioners were also able to worship. Services were held Sunday 
afternoons at the Roman Catholic Shrine of St. Elizabeth Seton further south in 
Manhattan. Father Peter Meehan, pastor at the Shrine, received an extended and 
enthusiastic standing ovation at Trinity on November 4 when he and his church 
were honored with a plaque for their hospitality.

     One earlier attempt had been made a week after the attack to open Trinity. 
At the request of local emergency workers, the doors were opened to relief 
workers who wanted to rest, pray and receive counseling. Emergency management 
authorities denied the parish its wish, however, and the signs that read 
"EnterRestPray," set up on music stands inside Trinity Church were of no use.

     Until now. 

--Nathan Brockman is managing editor of Trinity's website. This article appeared 
in Trinity News.