Lost in the commemoration of last week's anniversary of the
Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks was a ruling by a federal judge that allowed a
Christian minister to provide grief counseling for residents of a New York City
public housing facility.
A year ago, shortly after the attacks, Pastor Joan Daily applied to reserve a
room at the Woodside Community Center in Queens to conduct Bible study and pray
for those affected by the Sept. 11 events. Several Woodside residents had died
in the attacks on the World Trade Center.
But, the New York City Housing Authority barred Daily from conducting the
counseling because of her religious affiliation. That prompted a lawsuit, in
February of this year, by the American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), on
behalf of Daily.
And on the one-year anniversary of 9/11, U.S. District Court Judge David Trager
issued a preliminary injunction against the city, declaring that the city's
decision to ban Daily's grief counseling, "was not reasonable."
"She was a resident of the New York City Housing Authority, as well as a
psychologist who wanted to offer grief counseling," according to Vincent
McCarthy, Senior Counsel of the ACLJ.
"She was told by HUD (Office of Housing and Urban Development) that she
could not be accommodated because she was coming from the Christian point of
view, despite the fact that residents of the community then, as they are now,
are still dealing with the aftermath of the events of 9/11," McCarthy
added.
The Housing Authority, in issuing its decision, cited a city policy the
prohibits religious services, "unless the religious services are directly
connected to the principal reason for a family oriented event, such as
weddings."
And a spokesperson for The New York City Housing Authority declined to comment
on what she called, "an ongoing legal matter."
"The housing authority was wrong when it denied access to our
client," said McCarthy. "We're pleased the court has cleared the way
for prayer and counseling sessions to occur."
Daily has filed her new request to conduct the grief sessions. She has yet to
receive a reply from the housing authority.
Daily could not be reached for comment.