In conjunction with a special First Responders Mass to honor law enforcement, fire and emergency medical personnel, Holy Cross H. S. on Sept. 28 unveiled a new permanent memorial to the 17 members of the Holy Cross community who died on Sept. 11, 2001.

Among the attendees were New York City’s first responders, wearing dress uniform, and  families of the former Knights who perished on 9/11 and Holy Cross community members.

During his homily, Father Walter E. Jenkins, president, welcomed the group and pointed out that it is those who lost loved ones, as well as the first responders, who gave the most that day.

“I had to come here to ask these people who lost so much to do what the Gospel asks us to do,” he said.  “And that’s pretty bold.  But if we can love those who wronged us, then in the end, those we’ve lost are honored not by revenge.”

Following the Mass, there was a dedication ceremony and blessing of the new memorial during which family members of the Holy Cross fallen read their names aloud. The black granite memorial with names etched in gold is the result of an effort conceived and spearheaded by Holy Cross’s Golf Classic Committee.

“That monument will cause you to remember, every day, the sacrifices made by those who sat in those seats before you,” said Edward Kilduff, FDNY chief of department, when he addressed the group, and Holy Cross students in particular. “Go out and be the kind of people that they were – good, thriving, community-minded Christian people.”

Of the 16 Holy Cross alumni who died as a result of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, eight were members of the New York City Fire Department.

The monument is located on the corner of 29th Avenue and 170th Street in Flushing, and was made possible by support from Anthony Nitti ’88, Thomas Donovan ’84 and donors to the 9/11 Alumni Memorial.