“It started coming down on us.” Fifteen years ago, Capt. Thomas Colucci led the men of his 31st Street firehouse into what would be the finest hour for New York City’s fire, police and emergency responders: Ground Zero on Sept. 11. After the South Tower collapsed, the Catholic fire captain and his firefighters began digging Read more
I was in New York City 15 years ago, when the United States suffered the worst terrorist attack of its history. I remember that horrible day as vividly as if it were yesterday. September 11 was a Tuesday bright with sunshine, which meant that you could easily see the plumes of smoke and ash as Read more
Firefighter Tom Colucci is now Father Tom Colucci and he has been settling into his new residence at St. Mary’s Mother of Church parish in Fishkill, New York. In his 20 years with the FDNY, Colucci moved up through the ranks to become a captain. It was after responding to the attacks on the World Read more
Papua New Guinea’s Muslim population has grown by some 500 per cent since the September 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001, according to research by an Australian academic and expert on Islamic studies. Listen
A legal battle is looming in New York over the using of a large cross as part of a 9/11 memorial. The cross made of one of the twin tower’s T-beams became a national symbol in the days after the 2001 attacks, however a national group, American Atheists is suing one of the 9/11 memorial Read more
9/11 strengthened fundamentalism in every global faith – and in atheism too. But it has also led to backlashes against these doctrines wherever they have appeared. In Islam there have been positive developments. The attacks were repeatedly and clearly condemned by Muslim leaders all over the world. After Pope Benedict XVI’s controversial Regensburg speech, the Read more
Just hours before they took the field against Ireland in the Rugby World Cup on Sunday, the USA Eagles were given a psychological boost at a 9/11 memorial service in New Plymouth. The service in St Andrew’s Presbyterian Church was attended by US dignitaries, including the US Ambassador to New Zealand David Huebner. Hundreds of Read more
Violence must never be carried out in God’s name Pope Benedict insisted as he marked the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks. “The tragedy of that day is compounded by the perpetrators’ claim to be acting in God’s name,” he said. In a letter sent a letter to Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, Read more
The Ground Zero Mosque is moving forward, but more under the media spotlight it has received. There will be no more imams as the public religious face of the project, and Sharif El-Gamal, the lead developer and Chairman of the 45-51 Park Place property says he has been trying to regroup and reach out to Read more
