Rev. Patrick J. McDevitt, CM, PhD, CEO & President of Saint Luke Institute (SLI), offered the following reflection to staff and colleagues at SLI on the eve of the anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001.
Tomorrow marks the 25th anniversary of the horrific and tragic events of September 11, 2001. There are pivotal moments in our lives—like 9/11—when we can vividly remember where we were, what we were doing, and how we felt. When we remember and learn from them, these moments can deepen our humanity, expand our compassion, and awaken us to our responsibility for one another.
As the Saint Luke Institute family, we have a particular vocation in a world marked by trauma: to listen to pain, help people discover meaning and insight within their suffering, and provide a caring community where healing, wholeness, and restoration can take place.
As I reflect on this 25th anniversary of 9/11, I find myself recalling the many events that have shaped my own worldview—the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr., and Robert F. Kennedy; the Vietnam War; the Civil Rights Movement; and the Second Vatican Council, to name only a few. We have all grown up and lived through a rapidly changing world—a world that can feel increasingly volatile, divided, and unsafe.
Gun violence, mass shootings, suicide, social isolation, and other forms of suffering have left deep wounds in individuals, families, and communities. At the same time, political, religious, and social divisions strain the very fabric of our lives together as families, communities, Church, and society.
As mental and spiritual health professionals, we are both challenged and commissioned to be at the forefront of responding to these wounds.
On this anniversary of 9/11, I invite each of us to reflect on our vocation and profession. How can we become even better responders to the pain and needs of those we serve? How can we reach beyond our familiar boundaries and comfort zones to accompany our sisters and brothers who are isolated, hurting, or without access to care? How can our work become an even greater source of healing and hope?
It is my prayer that this 25th anniversary of September 11 will deepen our resolve and strengthen our commitment to the mission of Saint Luke Institute and to our vision for the future. The Church and the world stand in desperate need of healing hearts and renewed hope.
For nearly 50 years, Saint Luke Institute has answered that call. Today, we recommit ourselves to carrying that mission forward—to lift the fallen, bind the broken, and help every heart entrusted to our care discover healing and hope.