Priest’s painting inspires parishoners

The Rev. Javier Diaz-Muñoz of St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church created a painting of the World Trade Center for a prayer service last week.

By: Scott Morgan
   HIGHTSTOWN — It was Tuesday night. The Rev. Javier Diaz-Muñoz could see the anguish on the parishioners’ faces. They had come to an unexpected prayer service at St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church to mourn the loss of life and security taken earlier that day by terrorists.


America attacked:

• Two township residents feared dead (Sept. 13, 2001)

• Terror’s shockwaves felt locally (Sept. 14, 2001)

• Anger, sadness among range of emotions (Sept. 14, 2001)

• Area ministry, schools respond to grief-stricken (Sept. 14, 2001)

• Terrorists ask for war (Sept. 14, 2001)

• Helping children cope with disaster (Sept. 14, 2001)

• Terror attacks claim at least six local residents (Sept. 21, 2001)

• Building a garden to remember (Sept. 21, 2001)

• Former Hightstown man hero of Flight 93 (Sept. 21, 2001)

• Township Council to eye memorial (Sept. 21, 2001)

• Priest’s painting inspires parishoners (Sept. 21, 2001)

• Area Muslims condemn attacks (Sept. 21, 2001)

• Tragedy forces new sense of perspective (Sept. 21, 2001)

• Children want to help, too (Sept. 21, 2001)


   The sense of mourning and the need to express it was not the sole property of the parishioners. The Rev. Diaz-Muñoz said he felt it as well.
   "There was pain in my heart and hope that we will have peace again," he said.
   The Rev. Diaz-Muñoz wanted to find a way to give his emotions visual expression. What came forth was a painting, both tragic and hopeful, that has already resonated across the parish and beyond.
   The Rev. Diaz-Muñoz is known to parishioners of St. Anthony’s for his Scripture-inspired paintings, which he often uses to illustrate his sermons. But this painting, of the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers soaring proudly above the New York City skyline as a dove of peace clutches a red, white and blue ribbon in its beak, has struck a chord beyond St. Anthony’s parishioners.
   Missy Pirrera, a member of the Hightstown Presbyterian Church who attended the St. Anthony’s prayer service last Friday, said the painting struck her so powerfully that she wanted to immediately tell everyone in the country.
   "When I looked at it, just for a second, it made me feel hopeful," she said. "For the first time (since the attacks) I could look at those buildings and not feel horrified."
   The Rev. Diaz-Muñoz said he had always admired the architectural beauty of the Twin Towers and fought a sense of disbelief that they could be so quickly torn down. He said he was compelled to create the painting to allow people to grieve and to pray for peace.
   "We cannot avoid the pain," he said.
   So he found a way to allow people to face it and still hope for the future. That catharsis, he said, has been important to everyone (including himself) as time goes on.
   "People come and they cry and they pray," the Rev. Diaz-Muñoz said. "It helps them and it helps me, too."