In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.

Almighty Father, we commend the victims of this shocking tragedy to Your eternal love. We implore Your comfort upon the injured, the families and friends involved, and all who are doing their utmost to rescue survivors and help those affected. We ask You, Father, to grant the American people the strength and courage they need at this time of sorrow and trial.

Holy Spirit, we are a sinful nation, and we beg you to send us Your authentic spirit of repentance. We are also a nation capable of great charity and justice, so look not on our sins, Heavenly Spirit of Mercy, but upon our sorrow and resolve to turn from evil, to fight evil, and procure victory over evil. Illuminate the minds and souls of our citizens and especially our leaders so we can see the error of our ways, and give us the sweet grace required to turn to God with pure hearts.

Immaculate Mary, Humble Virgin, Mother of our Church, and protectress of our nation, we ask you to go before the Throne of the Holy Trinity and intercede for the United States at this critical juncture in our history. Gently place your mantle upon our land, upon our people, upon our allies, upon our fighting men and women, as you once wrapped our Savior in swaddling clothes in a manger.

We have no words that rightly express what we on earth cannot understand or ever truly fathom--the Love of God--so we turn with childlike faith to the words that Jesus Himself taught us to pray:

Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, Amen!

NEW YORK (AP) - A cast iron ``cross'' found in the rubble of the World Trade Center has been adopted by rescue workers as a symbol of faith and blessed with holy water by a Franciscan priest.

The 20-foot tall cross, consisting of two metal beams, fell intact from one of the twin towers into a nearby building.

Laborer Frank Silecchia, 47, found the cross standing almost upright two days after the towers toppled September 11th.

``Some people will say it's velocity or physics that put it there. To me it's an act of God,'' said Silecchia, who cried for 20 minutes after his discovery.

Since then rescue workers have made pilgrimages to pray or meditate near the cross. Some etch messages on it. ``God Bless Our Fallen Brothers,'' reads one tribute.

On Wednesday, workers hoisted the cross atop a 40-foot high foundation, formerly a pedestrian walkway. Construction workers, firefighters and police officers stood quietly by as the Rev. Brian Jordan blessed it with holy water.

``Behold the glory of the cross at ground zero,'' Jordan said. ``This is our symbol of hope, our symbol of faith, our symbol of healing.''

The workers prayed and sang God Bless America together before returning to work.