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By
Mike McMahon
On Wednesday, September 11, 2002, you might have noticed some peculiar activities at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church. The casual passerby might wonder why a satellite communications van was parked in our traffic circle, and why a news camera crew was interviewing Fr. Creedon and several other local religious leaders in our own parking lot.
On that evening, St. Charles hosted "Darkness to Light - An Interfaith Prayer Service of Peace and Hope". The evening commemorated the 1st anniversary of the tragic events of September 11, 2001 with scripture, song, and sermon, and most importantly provided a firm declaration that diverse faith traditions in Arlington County can stand together to overcome our fears, treat our neighbors with tolerance and respect, and pray for peace in our country and our world.
Participating
in the service were 13 clergy and lay celebrants
representing the Bahai, Catholic, Episcopalian, Islamic, Jewish, Lutheran, Methodist,
Presbyterian and Unitarian faith traditions. Music was offered by several ensembles,
ncluding the Clara Muhammad School Choir from Washington DC, the St. Charles
Latin American Youth Folk Group, an ensemble from Arlington Fairfax Jewish Congregation,
and the "Voices of Hope" Choir, a volunteer choral group assembled
specifically for this service.
Many Traditions Woven Throughout the Service
The evening began with traditional religious elements such as blowing the Jewish shofar, an Islamic Greeting of Peace, and ringing of church bells. As host for the evening, Fr. Gerry Creedon welcomed the assembly and introduced Bishop Paul Loverde, who also offered brief comments.
The service continued with readings from Jewish, Islamic and Christian scripture, each complemented with musical offerings from these same traditions. Rabbi Lia Bass of Arlington Fairfax Jewish Congregation offered a compelling sermon on the nature of human fear in times of crisis. Using examples from the Jewish spiritual tradition, she illustrated how we can acknowledge our fears without being dominated by them. Ultimately, they can serve as a constructive element in human life, providing greater insight to our own well-being and opening doors to new relationships with God.
One of the highlights of the evening was the prayer and meditation sequence. After offering a variety of prayers for healing, reconciliation and hope, the celebrants lit candles and shared the flame with candles held by the entire assembly gathered. The Clara Muhammad School Choir and the Voices of Hope Choir accentuated the meditation with a wonderful arrangement of "The Lord Is My Light", "Thanks Be To God" and "We Shall Overcome".
A Challenge for All Attendees
Imam Johari Abdul-Malik of the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center provided closing comments. With a rousing oratory, he challenged the entire assembly to further pursue avenues of interfaith learning and activity as a means to overcoming fear and prejudice. Referring to a recent meeting with President George W. Bush, Imam Johari relayed the President's intent that he (and by extension, each of us) serve as conduits to dialogue and understanding between the religious groups in this country. After final blessings from each of the three major Abrahamic traditions, the celebrants recessed to a stirring rendition of "America The Beautiful".
A free-will offering benefiting the Alexandria-based Tenants and Workers Support Committee was taken at the door. This group provides support to low-income workers and families that experienced great hardship in the post-September 11 economic downturn. A reception was held in the school cafeteria afterwards. The prayer service received wide media attention, and was covered by film crews from News Channel 8 and Arlington County Television Channel 33.
How the Evening Came to Be
This evening's event was the culmination of an interfaith planning process that began last spring. While initiated at St. Charles, support for the event grew rapidly from a wide variety of local faith communities, and an interfaith planning committee was formed. The success of "Darkness To Light" was a testimony to the collaborative spirit enjoyed by this interfaith planning committee.
Reviewed September 13, 2002
St. Charles Borromeo Catholic
Church
3304 North Washington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22201, USA
Tel: 703.527.5500 | Fax: 703.527.5505 | Web: www.stcharleschurch.org