we re joined also by bruce, biblical scholar. i think it s so important for so many family members that their loved ones be remembered, their names be remembered and talked about. and i think clearly we saw family members talking to this pontiff, telling him the names of their loved ones who are no longer with us, showing him, at least in one case, showing him what we saw to be a photograph of a loved one. well, 9/11 has come to mean so many different things, but for those of us who live in new york, it s very personal. almost everybody knows somebody who lost a family member. and part of what it means to be alive is to tell your story and to have him interested in hearing those particular stories is very meaningful. to kind of move to the larger point, i think it s worth remembering the first pope who came to the united states was pope vi. it was 50 years ago this week, and that was in the middle of
yes, everything bruce said matters so much in terms of why pope francis has come here, his message of tolerance is absolutely true. however, context often compromises a message. and, yes, there s a temptation when people talk about 9/11 to want to find some positive resolution in it, that we need to seek peace, but that is not an easy thing to say for those who suffered through this event. 9/11 for many is still an unrighted wrong. their families were lost and they believe that that which is responsible is still very much out there. and the idea of seeking peace to many is unsettling. how do you think the pope navigates that, tries to talk about peace in a place that is still very raw for people, no matter what is built on top of it? i think, chris, he does it within the context of his christianity. that passion and death leads to resurrection. that s the fundamental mystery. and i think he ll point to suffering is not the final word. that there s hope and remembrance of love here th
vatican ii. the most contention within vatican ii conference was the discussion of inter-religious dialogue and co-existence. there was a big force that was against the catholic church opening its arms to others. but in the end, in part because of paul vi s personal intervention, the vatican ii became the symbol of conversation. i bring that up for those people who feel despair among the relationship define jews, christians and muslims and who choose to focus on terrorism and the negativity, which is quite real, we have seen dramatic change in the relationship between christians and jews, change is possible. right. bruce, that s a strong point. but father beck, let me bring you in on this.
to have mass. you know, we ve been talking, bruce, about the impact that francis has everywhere he goes. and i think whatever the grandest expectations were, he has exceeded them already. but i have to tell you, all of us are connected to people who live here and grew up here to what happened on 9/11 through people who are no longer with us. and there are a number of people whom i know who are coming down here today because pope francis is here. and they haven t been here in a long time. that this could mean more than just a step for francis in his understanding of new york and america. that for so many of the families who are involved here, anderson, this is a moment for them that pope francis of the holiest of people is in the place where they saw the most evil in their lives. we re going to take a short break. pope francis has moved indoors. it s going to be a few minutes before we see him again. there s that interfaith service. we ll take a short break. our coverage continues i
here in lower manhattan. i m here with chris cuomo, as well as father edward beck, bruce, as well as others. you re looking at foundation hall. this is the site of where an interfaith prayer service is going to be taking place. just to give you a sense of what you re going to be seeing over the next 30 or 40 minutes or so, the pope will come into foundation hall. there will be a prayer of remembrance. then there s going to be prayers for peace by there will be a hindu prayer, a buddhist prayer, christian prayer, muslim prayer, a prayer in the honor of the deceased. you will hear some thoughts from pope francis himself. a chorus, the young people s chorus of new york city will sing let there be peace on earth, and that will end the multireligious event. this may be the most powerful image that pope francis will behold certainly thus far on his trip.