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Attack remembrances marked by prayer
Before attending the myriad ceremonies today marking the one-year anniversary of terrorist attacks by Islamic extremists, President Bush went to St. John's Episcopal Church to attend services and to pray privately. Reuters notes that the church, across the street from the White House, "was ringed with extra security guards in a reminder that the United States is on high alert for terrorism."

Elsewhere, says the Associated Press, religious leaders across the world and nation are preparing to lead memorial services. Others are issuing statements. Pope John Paul II called terrorism "a manifestation of ferocious inhumanity" and prayed that God would "show mercy and forgiveness for the authors of this horrible terror attack."

Overall, however, there's very little breaking news on the memory front. There are stories on how church attendance spiked after last year's attacks, on relations between Christians and Muslims, religious survivor stories, and religious debates over extending the war on terrorism to Iraq. But there's nothing new here.

Senate may move on faith-based initiative bill by end of the week
Senate Minority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) told Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Penn.) that "the next two or three days were critical" for moving on the faith-based initiatives bill. "If we couldn't work out an agreement … time [is] going to pass it by."

Santorum promised that he's working on it, but The Washington Times reports that almost everything about it is still controversial, from "language clarifying that a charity cannot be rejected for a federal grant simply because it has religious icons on its premises, religious language in its chartering documents, or religious qualifications for its governing board members" to the number of amendments that would be allowed on the Senate floor.

And all this controversy is over a bill that is watered down beyond recognition from what President Bush proposed. No wonder Bush is moving forward without the Senate.

Miami gay rights amendment (probably) stays
"In a referendum battle closely monitored by national groups on both sides of the issue, Miami-Dade County voters on Tuesday upheld a county law intended to shield gay and lesbian residents from discrimination," The Miami Herald reports today.

At least that's what some of the election returns indicate. Miamians didn't have better luck figuring out how to vote yesterday than they did two years ago, and many races are still unclear.

Faith after 9/11

• After terrorist attacks, people turn to church for answers (The Courier News, suburban Chicago)
  
  
• Faith once again focus of Sept. 11 (The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, S.C.)
  
  
• Love among the ruins | When major disasters occur, it's no surprise where people turn. (Lorna Dueck, The Globe & Mail, Toronto)
  
  
• Church attendance rose, fell quickly after attacks (The Muskegon [Mich.] Chronicle)
  
  
• Church near WTC open to public | St. Paul's Chapel provided physical comfort, spiritual solace and even gourmet food to thousands of workers and volunteers from ground zero (Associated Press)
  
  
• Many expected at WTC remains site | Volunteer chaplains maintain vigil at refrigerated trailers (Associated Press)
  
  
• Phila. priest tends a second flock - 9/11 victims | As chaplain for the N.Y. Medical Examiner's Office, he must comfort those with faith and without (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
  
  
• End of the Vietnam divide | To insist upon the dignity of members of other religious communities—and those who have no faith at all—is to insist upon freedom. (E. J. Dionne Jr., The Washington Post)

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September (Web-only) 2002, Vol. 46