On Memorial Day Weekend in the United States, the founder of Caritas of Birmingham, his wife along with many of the youth of the Caritas Community visited the site of the World Trade Center on May 27, 2002, while the clean-up was still in progress. Many rosaries were prayed as they drove into New York City that Our Lady would open doors to allow them access into the heart of where the tragedy had taken place. The Caritas founder brought Miraculous Medals that had been blessed by Our Lady in Marija’s apparitions in Medjugorje with the hope that he could place them in the ground where the World Trade Center had stood to bring Our Lady’s blessing to this hallowed ground. They also hoped to pray on the site a special Rosary called the Patriotic Rosary that was dedicated to all those who had perished on September 11th. It became apparent when they arrived that no one was allowed in the construction area. However, through their prayers Our Lady led them to the operation center for the cleanup which was in a firestation across the street from the World Trade Center. Though this was also closed off to the public, when the firemen learned that the youth had come from Alabama to pray at the site for all those who had lost their lives, they led the community members up to the top of the building which overlooked the entire cleanup site. As the community prayed and sang the Rosary, while watching the workers sifting through debris being unearthed by large machinery, the Chief who was in charge of the cleanup heard the prayers and singing from the ground level and came up to see who it was that was praying. He was very moved to see the youth of the Community and stayed to talk with them answering their questions and thanking them. In turn, the founder spoke to him about Our Lady and Medjugorje and how many are praying this special Patriotic Rosary around the world for them. The founder brought out a small bag containing the blessed medals expressing the wish to have them placed on the site of the World Trade Center. This also touched the Chief. He held out his hand to receive the medals and promised that he, himself would go to the site and place them in the ground. He excused himself for a moment and when he returned he presented a gift to the founder of a small piece of glass that came from a window of the World Trade Center. He said there were very few of these found as most of the glass was crushed or melted. They saved them to give to family members who had lost a loved one on September 11th, but he felt led to give this one to the Caritas Community to thank them for coming this long way from Alabama to bring their prayers, comfort and love. It brings much comfort knowing the blessed medals of Our Lady, from Medjugorje, lie buried in the foundation of the memorial of the World Trade Center.
