THE FOLLOWING IS A STORY ABOUT QUILTS THAT HANG IN THE FLIGHT 93 MEMORIAL CHAPEL. IN HONOR OF 9/11 I THOUGHT I'D SHARE THIS STORY.
Beside a country road in rural Pennsylvania sits a small chapel that is like no other. The white building is surrounded by beautiful plants and directly in front of its red doors stands a large bell tower. On the side of the bell tower is a large light beacon. Inside the chapel, near each of the windows hang four very impressive hand-made quilts. The quilts have been designed, like everything else inside the Flight 93 Memorial chapel, to honor those who sacrificed their lives on Flight 93 on September 11, 2001.
The founder of the Flight 93 Memorial Chapel is Bishop Alphonse T. Mascherino of the Aspostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East. After the chapel opened on September 11, 2002, he wanted to have quilts hanging inside the building. The quilts he wished to have would depict the four freedoms enunciated in a speech by President Franklin Roosevelt in 1941. His desire was so great that Mascherino actually purchased quilting material and a sewing machine. Unfortunately he came to understand that he had no idea how to do such a thing. With more than just a bit of disappointment he reluctantly put the quilt idea on hold. The sewing machine and quilting materials were put into storage.
It was during the spring of 2008 when his dream of having the quilts he desired hanging in the Chapel became a reality. Some quilters traveling home from a Quilters Show in Kentucky stopped at the Flight 93 crash site. It was a moving experience for them and they were emotional by the time they reached the Flight 93 Memorial Chapel.
Father Mascherino was happy to spend time with them.
“It started in 2002 whenever I found out there were quilters around. I just thought quilts were something that ordinary people could make. It was about two years ago when this bus came on a visit. The people on it happened to be quilters. But I didn't know that at the time and talked to them and gave a presentation about the chapel. They were kind of impressed with the chapel and the things other people had done here and all the volunteers that had participated in making it. They wanted to do something. I think I was out in the yard doing something like cutting grass and they said they were from Redding, which I think is about 3 ½ hours away. They said they couldn’t cut grass but would like to do something. I asked what they could do and they said they were quilters. I simply said ‘Bingo’ can I interest you in a little project that I have in mind?”
About six weeks after returning home from visiting the chapel the women who had been on the trip got together. They immediately began the design process for the quilts.
Janis Petre is one of the quilters who was involved with the project.
“We called Father Mascherino and asked him to measure the windows of the chapel. Each quilt was to be 30 inches long and 80 inches wide. I took those measurements and cut paper to that size and put that paper on a table in front of the other women. I told them we needed to make four quilts this size. There was a lot of reaction as suddenly everyone realized we’d taken on a huge project.”
The design process was a challenge. The one freedom they struggled with most to design was the freedom of religion and worship. Father Mascherino wanted no religious symbols at all. He wanted the quilt to be nondenominational. When the women designed the quilt with the bell tower from the chapel he was very happy.
Jackie Gauker is the owner of Quilter’s Palette and permitted the work to be done in her store in the evenings and on Sundays.
“Everyone sort of chipped in and offering my store is sort of how I chipped in for the project. It was neat to see the evolution of how everyone worked through the design process. You got down to exactly what was essential.”
It took about a year and a half from the beginning of the design process until the completion of the quilts. During that time the group had more than 30 meetings and spent hours sketching ideas for the pattern. They then had to choose the colors and do all the cutting of the fabric. They had to select background and boarder material. When that was finished there was still all of the sewing, quilting and embroidering to be done. It was decided to use the stained glass window border on each of the quilts. All of the quilts have fabric that was used in all of the other quilts.
“We worked sometimes once a week and at times in the evenings and on Saturdays and Sundays. Sometimes for as long as six hours.” said Jane Hague who worked on the quilt.
Upon completion of the quilts the group was relieved but also quite pleased with the end result. Everyone had only seen them up close but when were able to see the quilts from a distance they were even more satisfied with their work.
A dedication of the four quilts took place on May 29, 2010 at the Flight 93 Memorial Chapel. A bus of quilters and many other people made their way to Shanksville, Pa to attend the ceremony. The chapel was completely filled. Before the ceremony each of the quilts was covered. During the ceremony a quilter who had been involved with the project give a little talk about a quilt and would then remove the covering to let the quilt unfurl.
“As we would show each quilt during the ceremony there were plenty of ‘oohs’ and ‘aaaahs’ and even many wet eyes” said Janis Petre.
People come from all over the country and other parts of the world go to Shanksville, Pa to see the Flight 93 crash site. Many of them stop to see the Flight 93 Memorial Chapel. The quilts always get plenty of attention. They have impressed many visitors. Father Mascherino can’t get over how people react to them.
“There are many people who stop here at the chapel and don't even know anything about the quilts but are just overwhelmed when they see them. Those quilts represent a significant dedication to the creative process. One woman who had only heard about them came in the door right in the middle of church and wanted to know where the quilts were. Sometimes people do get the impression that they have been here for forever. When I tell them they were just put up I always get asked if they’re going to stay. I tell everyone these quilts are a permanent part of the chapel.”
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