Campus shares a time of remembrance

Campus shares a time of remembrance

"Oh God, you have bound us together in a common life.

You have heard the prayers of your people.

Help us in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth,

To confront one another without hatred or bitterness,

And to work together with mutual patience and respect.

Send us out, sure in your grace and peace, to live faithfully."

Faculty, staff, administrators and students, some wearing red-white-and-blue ribbons and bandanas in their hair, gathered late in the afternoon on Friday, Sept. 14, for an Interfaith Time of Remembrance dedicated to the devastating events that took place just three days earlier.

An overflow crowd packed the auditorium of Pearson Hall and hundreds more watched the ceremony as it was broadcast via a webcast on UD's home page, on Channel 2 of the campus cable system and on large-screen displays in the Scrounge at the Perkins Student Center and the Multipurpose Room of the Trabant University Center.

Rev. Laura Lee C. Wilson of the Wesley Foundation, one of the many campus religious leaders participating in the event, welcomed the attendees saying, "We have gathered as a campus family this afternoon. Each of us has come for different reasons. However, the commonality is that we are all part of the human family, and many of our brothers and sisters in our human family have been assaulted by an evil force. We have watched our televisions and listened to the radio faithfully, hoping for some kind of understanding. Painfully confronted with violence, evil, grief and confusion, we looked to the smoke-filled skies and cried out. At this time, we are lifted by the grace offered by countless persons whose prayers are a witness to their individual faith tradition. Through these days of prayer, watching and waiting, our faith holds fast because God is our refuge."

University President David P. Roselle spoke of a campus and nation mourning crimes against humanity, which he called "terror for terror's sake."

"As we grapple with the present situation," Roselle said, "it's important to listen to others and to be inspired by their ideas, whether their ideas are based upon political thought, religious ideals, ethics or any of a host of other intellectual subdivisions. The world population and its religious and political leaders are overwhelmingly sympathetic and united in support of America's recovery from the crimes that were committed on Sept. 11, and it's important that we listen to and that we trust our friends from abroad as well as our friends from our country. We are not alone, and it would be mistaken to act as if we are."

He read from an e-mail received from his son, Arthur Roselle of Charlotte, N.C., which contained a message of hope for our "unique and special country."

Linda S. Oster of the Hillel Student Center read from Psalms and the Rev. Dr. Bruce A. Heggen of the Lutheran Student Association also read from the Old Testament. The Rev. Dr. Sr. Thea Joy Browne of the Episcopal Campus Ministry offered prayers of intercession, grief and hope.

Other members of UD's Religious and Spiritual Life Concerns Caucus read from the book, "In Search of Shalom" by Ann Weems. Participating were David Blackwell, Church of Christ; Patricia Davis, Warriors for Christ; Blake Hardcastle, Baptist Student Ministry; Joe Ramirez, Delaware Zen Group; S. Ismat Shah, adviser to the Muslim Student Association; Rabbi Eliezer Sneiderman, Chabbad Center for Jewish Life; the Rev. Dr. Michael Szuppper, Catholic Campus Ministry; Graham Van Keuren, Presbyterian Campus Ministry; Grant S. Wolf, Baha'i Faith Community, and Kimberly S. Zitzner, Catholic Campus Ministry.

In the program distributed at the observance, the caucus wrote, "As the religious leaders at the University of Delaware, we stand in sadness of the tragic events which have taken place today. We disagree with the cruel acts of terrorism against all of God's people. We mourn with those who have been directly affected by today's events. We pray today and every day for peace in our world."