As the one year anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks on America approaches, local houses of worship are planning special services and/or memorials to honor those who perished last year and to support the families and friends of the victims. Local houses of worship offering special services include:

Stewart Avenue and Emma Street in Bethpage

Church is participating in the Bethpage Memorial Gathering: Remembering the Victims - Honoring the Heroes, on Wednesday, Sept. 11. At 7:15 p.m., a gathering will take place at the church. At 7:30 p.m. there will be a candlelight procession and at 8 p.m. there will be a candlelight vigil at the Rotary Memorial in parking lot B-5, south of the LIRR on Stewart Avenue.

This is an interfaith service to comfort the families, friends and neighbors of the victims of 9/11.

407 Main Street in Farmingdale

Church will hold a Service of Remembrance and Communion on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 7:30 p.m.

On Wednesday, Sept. 11, there will be a Prayer Vigil for Healing and Peace all day. The church bell will toll at 10:29 a.m. All from the community are welcome to stop by the church anytime between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. to pause and pray for healing and peace.

485 Conklin Street in Farmingdale

Church will hold its usual morning Masses at 7, 8 and 9 a.m. as well as a special liturgy of the Eucharist at 8 p.m. for those unable to attend Mass in the morning. After the 9 a.m. Mass there will be an exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for a Holy Hour of adoration and petition from 9:30 to 11 a.m. The time was chosen very consciously by the church since it was in those morning hours, just before 9 a.m. and through 11 that the terrorists struck the nation. Monsignor James Swiader explains "One year later, we want to take those hours when some of humankind were at their worst and transform that time into hours when we might be at our best, supported by faith and united in prayer, close to the one who gave his innocent life on the cross to save us all from our sins."

298 Conklin Street in Farmingdale

Church will hold a Commemoration Mass and Homily at 9:30 a.m. on September 11. Celebrant: Fr. Theodore Bean.

-M. Kane