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Pope to hold prayer service at Sept.11 'ground zero'

Pope Benedict XVI touches the face of Lauren Kurtz, 11, while visiting St. Joseph`s Seminary Yonkers, New York, on Saturday. PHOTO: AFP

Pope Benedict XVI has reached out in compassion to beleaguered clergy, victims of clergy sex abuse and members of other religious groups during his first US trip.

On the final day of his journey, he was to turn his focus to the people of New York, in a prayer service yesterday at the site of the Sept. 11 attacks.

Benedict has invited 24 people with ties to ground zero to join him: survivors, relatives of victims and four rescue workers. He was to pray for peace, hope and healing, including for those who became ill after breathing toxic air in the ruins.

Benedict was to be joined by New York Cardinal Edward Egan and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. New York Governor David Paterson and New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine had also been invited.

Benedict has addressed terrorism several times during his six-day visit and warned diplomats on Friday that international cooperation needed to solve urgent problems is “in crisis” because decisions rest in the hands of a few powerful nations.

The pope also insisted that the way to peace was by ensuring respect for human dignity.

“The promotion of human rights remains the most effective strategy for eliminating inequalities between countries and social groups and increasing security,” the pope said.

Those whose rights are trampled, he said, “become easy prey to the call to violence and they then become violators of peace.”

Later yesterday, the pope was to celebrate Mass at Yankee Stadium, before returning to Rome.
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