9/11 Cross to be Presented at St. James Church

St. James Church in Basking Ridge will hold a public dedication of a steel cross fashioned from a beam at the World Trade Center on Sunday at 3 p.m. The cross is being donated by Somerset County Surrogate Frank Bruno, a U.S. Navy veteran, who assisted in the cleanup at the twin towers following a terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001.

Bruno will present the cross in cooperation with the church's Rev. Glenn John Comandini. The church is at 184 S. Finley Ave.

The cross will be installed in an oratory, or prayer room, which will include a kneeler, two accent chairs and a small table. Next to the steel cross, a plaque will hang bearing the names of all those from Bernards Township who died in the attacks.

"It needs a place," Bruno said last month. "This is a major part of history and it shouldn't end up lost years from now. I think the church, preparing a separate room for it, is a great way to share it with the community." He said that hope had been fulfilled by Rev. Comandini.

Somerset County counted 39 of its residents as having perished in the collapse of the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. According to the county office, 18 of the victims were from Basking Ridge, while some of the town's residents believe the number is as high as 25.

"It's not a competition, obviously, but Basking Ridge clearly was hit the hardest [in Somerset County] that day," Bruno said.

Comandini said in a statement to St. James parishioners, "What sparked my desire to construct this space was the unexpected and welcomed news that Bruno would like to donate this to a church in Bernards Township.

"Needless to say, my response was an enthusiastic 'yes.' Given the fact that so many people from Bernards Township lost their lives on Sept. 11, this room, obviously, is not just for Catholics—it's for anyone and everyone who would like to visit and pray there while the chapel is open."

He said the chapel is usually open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.