The 9/11 Memorial was originally located near Plassmann Hall, and was dedicated on September 11, 2002. The Memorial was removed for the construction of the William E. and Ann L. Swan Business Center in 2012, and was temporarily located by St. Joseph's Oratory (pictured above). Once the construction of the Business Center was finished in 2013, the memorial was moved back to its current location between Plassmann Hall and the Swan Business Center.
The 9/11 Memorial is in honor of Father Mychal Judge ('57), Robert Peraza ('94, '96), and Amy O'Doherty ('00) who all lost their lives in the attacks on September 11, 2001.
Robert Peraza graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 1994. During his time at St. Bonaventure, he was a Rugby player. The Robert Peraza Memorial Scholarship was created in 2002 to provide financial aid to a freshman rugby player every four years. An annual golf outing is held to raise proceeds for the scholarship fund. Peraza worked for Cantor Fitzgerald when the Twin Towers were attacked.
Amy O'Doherty graduated from St. Bonaventure University in 2000. O'Doherty was also working for Cantor Fitzgerald when the Twin Towers were attacked.
Father Mychal Judge, OFM ('57) was the first recorded fatality during the attack. The day before the attack, on September 10, 2001, Fr. Mychal Judge participated in the dedication of a renovated firehouse in New York City. A videotape of the event allowed him to present this homily at the dedication of the 9/11 Memorial in 2002:
"We come to this house this morning to celebrate renewal, rejuvenation, new life. We come to thank God for the blessings of all the years that the good work has been done here and especially the last few days. We can never thank God enough for the reality of the lives we have.
So standing in his presence this morning--and truly this is a chapel--let us pause for a moment, perhaps close our eyes and thank God for some special blessing in our individual lives.
You do what God has called you to do. You show up, you put one foot in front of another, you get on that rig, you go out to do the job, which is a mystery and a surprise. You have no idea when you get on that rig, no matter how big the call, no matter how small, you have no idea what God's calling you to, but he needs you. He needs me. He needs all of us.
Retirees, he needs your prayers, he needs you stopping by occasionally to give strength and support to tell the stories of the old days. You need the house. And those of you who are working now, keep going. Keep supporting each other. Be kind to each other. Love each other. Work together and do what you did the other night and the weeks and the months and the years before. And from this house, God's blessings go forth to this community.
It's fantastic but very painful. You love the job...we all do. What a blessing that is. A difficult, difficult job and God calls you to it and then gives a lover for it so that a difficult job will be well done. Isn't he a wonderful guy? Isn't he good to you, to each one of you, and to me? Turn to him each day, put your faith and your trust and your hope and your life in his hands. And he'll take care of you and you'll have a good life. And this house will be a great, great blessing to this neighborhood and to this city.
Amen."
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