When Pope Francis comes to New York later this month for a whirlwind tour, he'll be stopping at the National September 11 Memorial and Museum for an interfaith meeting, 14 years after the terrorist attacks would set in motion a chain of events at the Vatican that would eventually see Pope Francis in his current seat.
It was on Sept. 11 that, thousands of miles away, Cardinal Edward Egan knew his flock needed a shepherd more than ever. His close friend, Monsignor Hilary Franco, recalls what happened in the weeks afterward.
"It was a tremendous event in the life of Cardinal Egan," Franco said in New York City. "He wanted to be with his people, his flock. He belonged here. He loved it here."
But there was a problem. Cardinal Egan was expected in Rome to assume the crucial post of Relator General and lead the Synod of Bishops. Egan opened the Synod, then decided to leave early to tend to his suffering New Yorkers.
"He actually came back immediately to be with the people," said Franco. "And the one who took his place at the Rialto was Bergoglio."
That was Cardinal Jose Bergoglio, who was chosen to step in and lead the Synod on Oct. 4, the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, and the surprise move thrust him into the global spotlight of the church.
Years later, Cardinal Bergolgio would become Pope Francis.
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Lee Lelpi, retired FDNY firefighter and president of the September 11th Families Association and 9/11 Tribue Center, also lost his firefighter son that fateful day. He's looking forward to the pope's visit.
"The Good Lord knows that I would love to bring my son back. I can't do that," he said. "But the significance behind this visit, again, it's not just for my son and the families, it's to the world, to understand that he's going to spend more time at the World Trade Center site than any other place in this city, and to me, that's significant."
