To commemorate the year anniversary of 9/11, Cabrini College will be holding two days of events. Wednesday, Sept. 11 will be a day of prayer and reflection. The following day will give students a chance to make a difference in the world.
The goal of these events is to “mark the day in reflection and prayer and dedicate ourselves to commitment to the local community, country and world,” Dr. Mary Laver, coordinator of community outreach and partnerships, said.
Sept. 11 is the day of “prayerful reflection on the tragic and violent events” that took place one year earlier, Laver said. There will be three services held in the chapel. The first will be held at 8:48 a.m., the exact time that the first plane crashed into the World Trade Center. Bells will sound across the campus signaling a moment of silence.
The largest event of the day will take place at 3 p.m. The campus body is invited to meet around the peace pole and receive a flower. There will then be a procession to an outdoor labyrinth that will have been made on the grass on the far side of the chapel.
“The labyrinth is a 2-D maze created on the ground,” Laver said. “It is an ancient tradition that reflects the journey of life and it is a tool that assists will prayer and reflection.”
Jessica Morgan and her College Success students created the labyrinth out of rope on the ground. “The theme is ‘journey inward’ toward remembrance, and ‘journey outward’ toward commitment and action,” Laver said. It will remain outside of the chapel until the end of Sept.
Once students have journeyed through the labyrinth, everyone will proceed into the chapel for a short prayer service with scripture readings and remembrances.
The third event of the day will be a candlelight vigil around the peace pole at 9 p.m.
On Thursday, Sept.12 there will a Caring Citizens Volunteer Fair held in the Widener Center from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. This is the day that the community is invited to move from prayer to action and commitment to the world, Laver said.
There will be many opportunities to volunteer and get involved with service. The History Club and League of Women Voters will be hosting a booth that gives students the opportunity to register to vote and/or get an absentee ballot or participate in a voter registration drive.
There are drives held in Norristown and Philadelphia. “This is about getting involved and learning about issues and exercising our democratic right to be heard,” Laver said.
The Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Norristown will be working with Cav-Pride, which is a student organization dedicated to serving the needs of children. These two groups will be recruiting people who would like to be a buddy or mentor to a child in Norristown. It is a way to meet a child at school to encourage and be a friend to him or her.
The Don Guanella School will also be hosting a booth to sign students up who would like to work with children who are developmentally challenged.
Campus Ministry would like to “encourage everyone to come out and get involved this year,” Laver said. “The world is crying out for the energy of caring people to rededicate ourselves to work in the community in response to the tragedy of Sept. 11.”
