SJC Brooklyn recognized the 19th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attack on Friday with a special memorial service in the courtyard behind St. Angela Hall.
“Everyone knows where they were on September 11th, what they were doing and who they were with,” Campus Ministry Director Sister Marie Mackey said at the start of the service. “We remember that day today in solemn prayer and respect for all of those who died on that day in New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
“We remember the many first responders and all of those who, after the many, many days and weeks of working on the pile, gave their lives,” she added.
Vincent Minan ’18 ’20
Memorial Service Reflects on the Lives Lost
The Memorial Service was held in the Memorial Courtyard behind St. Angela Hall, in front of the memorial plaque — dedicated by the College in 2005 — that honors the alumni, and relatives of SJC alumni, who died on Sept. 11, 2001, including Jennifer Mazzotta ’00, Paul Rizza ’99 and Richard Catarelli ’76
Mazzotta was a young trader at Cantor Fitzgerald who was engaged to be married at the time of the attack. Rizza worked as an investors services officer with Fiduciary Trust International. Catarelli was a senior vice president with Marsh & McLennan. Each worked at the World Trade Center.
Mazzotta, Rizza and Catarelli were among the members of the SJC community whose names were read and remembered during the service. The names read were collected in a prayer bowl in Tuohy Hall this week.
The Memorial Service additionally featured prayer readings from Sean Devine Dunn, a member of SJC Brooklyn’s tennis team and the director of the Campus Activities Board; and Christian Branch, assistant for the Office of Student Involvement, Leadership and Intercultural Engagement.
Assistant Dean Angela Diaz introduced the wreath and Vincent Minan ’18 ’20, who has served in the U.S. Navy for 20 years, performed the symbolic incensing of the wreath, as “Taps” played in the background.
Branch closed the ceremony with a singing performance of “God Bless America.”
“We thank you all for joining us, both here in the St. Angela Hall courtyard and virtually over Zoom,” Branch said. “God bless you all and let us take this day to remember all those lives who were lost 19 years ago on this day.”
