By Michael Gresham
The Texas Catholic
Bells rang across downtown Dallas the morning of Sept. 11 as the Diocese of Dallas marked the 25th anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks with a Day of Remembrance at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The cathedral bells tolled four times during the morning, marking the moments when each of the four hijacked flights crashed. They tolled at 7:46 a.m. for American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed into the World Trade Center’s North Tower; at 8:03 a.m. for United Airlines Flight 175, which crashed into the South Tower; at 8:37 a.m. for American Airlines Flight 77, which crashed into the Pentagon; and at 9:03 a.m. for United Airlines Flight 93, which crashed in Pennsylvania.
That morning, Bishop Edward J. Burns celebrated Mass at the cathedral. The bishop called the day an opportunity to remember those who died, the first responders who came to the aid of others, the families who lost loved ones, and all those impacted by the attacks.
“It’s so very important that we remember this day,” Bishop Burns said, adding that the observance served as a reminder that “sin, evil, terror, and death will not have the last word,” echoing words spoken by St. John Paul II on Sept. 12, 2001.
“It’s important that we recognize, as people of faith, there is hope even in the darkness,” the bishop said.
Chicago resident Jennifer Davis was among those who attended the Mass at the Dallas cathedral.
“This is something that happened to our country,” Davis said. “This is a traumatic event, and as Catholics, we need to always remember.”
The cathedral remained open throughout the day, providing a place for people to pause, pray, and remember. The Day of Remembrance concluded with evening prayer led by Father Arthur Unachukwu at 6 p.m.
Mayra Huerta, who attended the evening prayer, told CBS 11 News that remembering those who died remains important 25 years after the attacks.
“I think it’s just important to keep that memory alive of all those families … because it still feels like it was yesterday to those families that have lost their loved ones,” Huerta said. “For me, it’s important to still keep all those people in my prayers.”
The terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, led to the deaths of 2,977 people, including more than 400 first responders.
The long-term effects of the attacks remain evident 25 years later. An OSV News report, originally published by The Good Newsroom, cited federal World Trade Center Health Program data showing that more than 9,000 people enrolled in the program had died as of June 30, many after suffering health effects linked to exposure to toxic dust and debris.
Cutline for featured image: As bells toll at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Bishop Edward J. Burns waits to process into the cathedral for Mass on Sept. 11, the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The bells tolled four times during the morning to mark the moments when the attacks unfolded. (MICHAEL GRESHAM/The Texas Catholic)
