Tending to a Flock in Hard Hats - By SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN, New York Times
Since the Sept. 11, 2001, attack on the World Trade Center, Father Jordan has ministered to the building trades, which has meant both celebrating acts of material creation and mourning those killed in this dangerous work. The six workers’ deaths on March 15 were the most he had dealt with on a single day since Sept. 11, and came amid an especially tragic 12 months, with 26 fatalities on New York work sites.
On April 28, Father Jordan officiated at a Mass for Workers’ Memorial Day in St. Patrick’s Cathedral. In most years, safer years, the annual event had been easily accommodated in the priest’s home church, St. Francis of Assisi on West 31st Street. Regardless of the setting, Father Jordan has preached a consistent message.
“Union construction workers have sacred instruments,” he said in his homily at St. Patrick’s. “No, not just their tools, machinery and computerized systems that they are trained and responsible for. These sacred instruments are their hands.”