Message to the Molloy Community in Commemoration of the 20th Anniversary of 9/11

It seems almost impossible that twenty years have passed since two planes struck the World Trade Center, taking the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent people. Two decades later, we are reminded of the brave passengers on an early morning flight who fought valiantly to save the lives of people they didn’t know, even though their own deaths were imminent. A generation has been born and grown to adulthood since a fourth plane crashed into the Pentagon.

There are indelible stories of the heroes from that day, including the first responders who rushed in when no one knew what would come next. Brave firefighters, police officers and medical personnel ran toward destruction instead of away from it. Many of those who thought only of rescuing others jeopardized their own lives, and the physical and psychological toll emerged months and years later.

Almost every member of the Molloy College community was affected – we lost family and friends and searched for meaning and solace. To those who grew up with only pictures and stories of loved ones lost, please accept my deepest condolences. To those who lived each moment that day and every day that followed please know that you, too, are in our prayers.

We find ourselves, twenty years later, facing unprecedented challenges. Many in our community have lost loved ones. Domestic and international unrest threatens to divide us. Severe weather events highlight an uncertain future. Let’s pledge to one another, however, to be steadfast in what unites us – our common humanity and our desire to be of service in our communities.

Let’s return to our greatest strength as a Molloy community – each other. Let’s stand firm in the example set by St. Dominic who stated, upon meeting St. Francis of Assisi, “You are my companion and must walk with me. For if we hold together no earthly power can withstand us.”

James Lentini, D.M.A.
President