Report from Ground Zero:

by Coralie Graham, Editor

        One could never begin to presume what it is like at Ground Zero in New York City, without being there.

        Every sense in your body is alive: love, fear, compassion, suffering, strength; and then, as well, the scent of death, spoken of there as the "odor of death". But there is one more sense there, a rekindled awareness of God and His own compassion, His love and hope for us all.

        Everyone seemed to share these feelings. It was as one big family, our brothers and sisters; the policemen, the firemen, the recovery workers, the souls of the dead, the suffering of the survivors ... one big family, caring, sharing, hurting.

        The onset of the chilly November winds will add more suffering to the workers but the cold will never penetrate the warmth of their hearts.

        One man related:

        "At first we worked seven days a week, 14 or more hours a day and we’re weary. We force ourselves to take our day off now, to rest and wind down. But we can only wind down our bodies; our minds are back here; our minds will not rest until this is over, until our job is done."

        When you are on the site, you are intensely there. The "odor of death" itself is a constant reminder that there are still friends and loved ones buried there.

        It is almost miraculous to find anyone now. The heat from the raging fire is many times that which is used in cremation. Even today, as the heavy construction equipment digs down into the ruins, sometimes the claws of the diggers literally drop off from the thousand degree heat. The area is washed down throughout the day, partially to keep the dust down, partially to keep the soles from melting off the men’s boots if they get too close. Huge steel girders as they are lifted out of the wreckage are often at the one end; glowing red as a poker left in a fire.

        Father Gruner took time off from his lectures at our Peace Conference in New York City to come and pray for the dead, for the survivors, and for all the recovery workers. He stuffed rosaries and scapulars in his pocket, knowing inevitably that he would meet tired workers, grieving survivors, and give them what a priest does best: blessings, compassion, hope. What better tools to take along than the rosary and the scapular?

        First a group of construction workers were enrolled in the scapular, then police officers. They all stood tall and strong, ready to risk their lives for their fellow man and their country. But none of them were too tall or too strong to bow their head in humility for the enrollment in the Brown Scapular.

        I told them about one of the miracles attributed to the Brown Scapular; how a raging fire swept through a whole row of houses and leveled them to the ground. But one, in the middle of the devastation, was left standing. It had a Brown Scapular on the doorknob. Those strong, tall men did not scoff or sneer at this miracle. They looked at each other, acknowledging this wonderful, powerful, new-found protection they now had.

        I came away from there, loving these people at Ground Zero and loving the people of New York. I have never met such gracious and friendly and loving people. This disaster, I am told, has brought out the best in them. I feel very grateful to have been there to share it.

        I see now, more completely, the hand of God in all this. The news carried many reports of fearful people asking, "How could God allow such a tragedy to happen? How could He allow such suffering?"

        God did not make this happen. The devil influenced the hearts and minds of those who did not know God, who had turned away from Him. But why did God allow it? I know why. I was there. I saw it and I felt it. I experienced it.

        In all the horror, the suffering; people around the world, including presidents and legislators and newsmen were reminded ... it’s time to turn back to God.

        This forerunner of the annihilation of nations also served as a wake up call to obey His Holy Mother’s requests at Fatima. Have enough listened? Not the media. Despite all our press releases and invitations to the Conference, most of the media wasn’t interested.

        Just as at Ground Zero, the worker’s job is not finished. And so, the work of this apostolate, our work to bring peace to the world through the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, is still not finished. There is much to do and I pray that each one of you will understand and help.

        The Message of Fatima is not only a call for the Consecration of Russia, but together with it, conversion, reparation and salvation of souls.

        Ground Zero also gives us a foretaste of hell. The raging fires, the intense heat, the loss of thousands of lives with no warning, and perhaps for some, little time to adequately prepare themselves to meet God. How many were preparedly in the state of Grace that day? Several newspapers and television stations noted a mysterious face of the devil in the thick cloud of smoke that arose, just before the buildings collapsed.

        A signpost was erected on the site at Ground Zero. Kabul 6750 miles, Tokyo 6759 miles, Los Angeles 2824 miles, Buffalo 392, Hell 0 miles. It was put there to represent Hell on earth, but the devil may have caused this disaster in order to try to seize a number of unprepared souls that day to take them to Hell for eternity.

        God does not want even one of His children to go to Hell. It is out of His love and compassion for us, that He allows this foretaste of Hell to happen, so that upon seeing and experiencing the Hell on earth, we will take heed and repent in time to avoid the Hell of eternity.

        Ground Zero will never be forgotten.

        What can we do to make sure the Fatima Message of peace, of hope and repentance is not forgotten before it is too late for many more millions of souls?

        I can tell you what we can do, what we must do. We must pray many Rosaries, at least five decades daily. We must sacrifice. It may be only days before we are called upon again to face another Hell on earth. We must not be lulled to sleep by the short-lived silence of the terrorists and their supporters, Russia and Red China, behind the scenes. Read more of this in "The Russian-Chinese Connection to Ground Zero."

        We must also give sacrificial alms so Our Lady’s Message can be spread sufficiently worldwide to bring about Her triumph before it is too late for much of mankind.

        Jesus said the Holy Father would do it (the Consecration of Russia) but it will be late.

        How many more cities and nations must suffer a Ground Zero? How many more lives will be sacrificed before Our Lady of Fatima’s request is heeded?

        It is literally up to you and I, and all our friends, neighbors and relatives. We must pray as if it all depends on God; and work, sacrifice and give alms, as if it all depends on us.

        Ground Zero is only the beginning. Time is fast running out. We must all act now, lest we let our loved ones here on earth as well as God, and His Holy Mother, down. God have mercy on our souls and grant us the grace of perseverance to bring about soon, the triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Return to
Table of Contents