Emergency response units search the wreckage on January 30 of an American Airlines plane on the Potomac River after it collided with a military Black Hawk helicopter on approach to Reagan National Airport the night before.After the tragic plane crash in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday night, a local priest made his way to the scene “to be present” with the grieving families.
Father Frederick Edlefsen, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Arlington, Virginia, shared about how he was able to be present to the families that night in an interview with Colm Flynn on “EWTN News Nightly.”
Father Edlefsen was heading to bed after a long day when he checked his phone and saw the news — a passenger plane had collided with a U.S. Army Black Hawk helicopter near Reagan National Airport and sunk into the Potomac River.
With the airport a mile away from his parish, it was close to home for Father Edlefsen.
“I felt it was really my duty. I felt an impulse — call it the gifts of the Holy Spirit or guardian angel,” he recalled. “But the airport is within the boundaries of my parish; we have a lot of travelers from Reagan Airport, airline personnel come to our Masses, and so on. So I felt: I need to be there.”
Father Edlefsen coordinated with a parishioner and Knight of Columbus who had a background in law enforcement. The parishioner escorted the priest to the airport and the Admirals Lounge of American Airlines.
“We were able to be present, not only to the grieving families but also to the personnel who, when they went to work this morning, they didn’t know this was going to hit them,” Father Edlefsen said.
Father Edlefsen remained with the families, listening to them and praying with them as they awaited news about their loved ones in the crash. It wasn’t until past 1 in the morning that the families learned there were no survivors.
“At around 1 or 1:30 more or less — that’s when some law enforcement from Washington, D.C., came in and told the families that no, there are no survivors,” Father Edlefsen recalled. “Going from search and rescue to recovery and it can take some time also to identify the bodies and the remains of the deceased. So that was a hard hit for those families.”
The crash was the first major U.S. commercial air crash in almost 16 years.
Father Edlefsen emphasized how important it is to respect the privacy of families who are grieving and “who are still trying to grasp what happened.”
Father Frederick Edlefsen, right, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Parish in Arlington, gives an interview on EWTN News Nightly.“A tragedy like this not only provokes grief, but it’s a very intimate grief,” he reflected. “It was probably one of the most intense grief moments and situations I’ve ever seen in my own almost 24 years of priesthood.”
The tragedy is especially devastating because of its magnitude. The plane had been carrying 60 passengers and four crew, while the helicopter had three soldiers aboard. The effects reverberated across the nation as those aboard the passenger plane were from all across the U.S., including Wichita, Kansas; Boston; and Washington, D.C.
“Because usually these happen within families, or one or two at a time,” Father Edlefson said. “But this was multiple families. Several people have lost several loved ones. Everybody is in total shock. They don’t know what to say or how to react. And they’re waiting for the best news.”
When asked how he responded as a minister, Father Edlefsen said he focused on simply being present.
“The backstop here and the presumption is you don’t say anything,” he said. “You’re just present. You listen.”
Amid the grief, it’s essential to be present and listening, Father Edlefsen explained.
“It’s hard to explain, but it’s more often than not OK to say ‘Can we pray together?’ And it has to be simple and short,” he said. “But right now the best thing is to say nothing. Presence is what’s important and reassurance of your presence. But also at the same time, maybe, a willingness to pray, maybe give someone a blessing if they ask for it. But to have the Church visibly present is absolutely key.”
Father Edlefsen is set to offer a vigil Mass at 5:30 this Saturday for the victims of the crash and their families as well as others involved — American Airlines personnel, Reagan Airport personnel, first responders, and all the people working in the background.
Washington, Baltimore Archbishops Offer Prayers
The archbishops of Washington and Baltimore offered prayers on Thursday after a deadly plane crash January 29.
In a statement January 30, Washington archbishop Cardinal Wilton Gregory said Catholics “throughout the Archdiocese of Washington today join men and women of goodwill here and around the world in praying for those who perished” as well as “for their grieving families and loved ones.”
“We praise God for the generous assistance of our courageous first responders,” the archbishop said. “May this disaster serve as an impetus to strengthen our unity and collaboration.”
Baltimore Archbishop William Lori also offered prayers on Thursday, saying in a statement: “Our hearts go out to those who lost their lives in the tragic collision at Reagan National Airport.”
“Let us pray for them and for their loved ones who mourn them. Our thoughts and prayers are also with the first responders during this very difficult time,” Archbishop Lori said.
The archbishops’ remarks come after Pope Francis also offered prayers and condolences following the crash.
“In commending the souls of the deceased to the loving mercy of Almighty God, I offer my deepest sympathies to the families who are now mourning the loss of a loved one,” the Holy Father said in a telegram to President Donald Trump.
“I likewise pray for those involved in the recovery efforts and invoke upon all in the nation the divine blessings of consolation and strength,” the pontiff said.
Wichita Bishop Carl Kemme on Thursday also issued a statement in which he noted that the crashed airliner originally departed from Wichita.
“My heart, and the hearts of the faithful of the Diocese of Wichita, go out to the families and loved ones of all those lost in this devastating accident. We pray for the souls of those who perished, including the brave members of our military, the passengers, and the crew,” Bishop Kemme said.
“We also pray for comfort and strength for those who mourn, and for the first responders and recovery teams as they continue their difficult work,” the prelate added. “I encourage all to pray for those affected by this tragedy. May the souls of the departed rest in peace.”
Arlington, Virginia, Bishop Michael Burbidge also offered his condolences in a post on X. The seat of the Arlington Diocese is located just a few miles from the D.C. airport.
“May we be united in prayer for all those tragically impacted by the accident near Reagan airport. We ask God to embrace them in his love; to grant strength to their families; and to watch over all first responders,” Bishop Burbidge said.
(Interview screenshot from EWTN News Nightly; response units photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images.)
By Kate Quiñones, Catholic News Agency
