BYU

Harold B. Lee Library

Our Common Prayer on 9-11

September 15, 2008

The following remarks were inspired by Frank McEntire’s exhibit Spontaneous Memorial

Early in the morning of September 11, 2001, while preparing for work, my wife and I helplessly watched the news report about the commercial jet that struck the first World Trade Center. We felt shocked and confused as we stood 2,000 miles away, unaware of the full story that was to unravel throughout the day.

My thoughts were consumed with the TV’s terrible images as I arrived at work, and in the midst of my helpless feelings a thought came to me, “we should have a department/public prayer”.  I quickly visited each colleagues present in Special Collections and asked them to join me under the atrium in our public reception area. It was sometime in the AM—mid morning. The second plane had just hit the other World Trade Center tower. I then asked our rare bookroom patrons to also join us. Faculty, staff, and patrons, gathered into a wide circle. When I surveyed the group, I caught the eye of our Digital Lab Manager, Robert Espenoza and asked him if he could lead us in prayer. A devout member of the Roman Catholic Church, Espenoza had recently made a pilgrimage to Rome in 2000 and had learned by heart a new rendition of The Lord’s Prayer. Having committed it to memory, he said it now with great serenity as we stood shoulder to shoulder with the morning sun streaming in and around our circle.

-Brad Westwood
Curator of Special Projects and Outreach
brad_westwood@byu.edu

This exhibit can be viewed at http://net.lib.byu.edu/art/McEntire.html