A large crowd gathered on Memorial Day morning at Holy Cross Cemetery in Brook Park for the annual Memorial Day Mass honoring those who served God and country. Similar liturgies also took place at All Saints Cemetery, Northfield; All Souls, Chardon; Calvary, Cleveland; Calvary, Lorain; Holy Cross, Akron; Resurrection, Valley City; St. Joseph, Avon; St. Mary, Cleveland; St. Mary, Cuyahoga Heights; St. Mary, Elyria and St. Mary, Olmsted Falls. All are part of the Catholic Cemeteries Association, Diocese of Cleveland.
At Holy Cross, Brook Park, Father John Carlin, pastor of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Parma, was the celebrant. Members of the Knights of Columbus and volunteers from St. Charles assisted with the liturgy.
Hundreds of graves throughout the cemetery were decorated with small American flags to designate the final resting place of veterans.
?It is a long tradition to decorate graves,? Father Carlin told the gathering. ?After the Civil War, women began decorating the graves of soldiers. This day used to be known as Decoration Day. The name was later changed to Memorial Day,? he said, adding, ?Memorial Day and Thanksgiving are the only two national holidays with religious overtones.?
Father Carlin talked about love and friendship, explaining that friendships can come and go. ?Sometimes they pass and sometimes they don?t end happily. We can have a disagreement that strains or ends a friendship. The same thing can happen in a marriage,? he said.
?On Memorial Day, we remember when a relationship ends in death. We come here as a people of faith. The Easter season is about to end, but we remember the words of the Lord who said he will come to take us with him,? Father Carlin said.
?The Scripture readings tell us that we will go to a happier place. Our story will have a happy ending, even though we may have to be separated for a while. Memorial Day reminds us that we will see those we love again, which is a comforting thought. Those we love will be waiting for us when heaven?s gates open,? he said. ?On Memorial Day, we are grateful for the gifts of faith and family,? he added.
At the end of Mass, Father Carlin asked if anyone in the crowd remembered singer Kate Smith, who was well-known for her stirring performances of ?God Bless America,? a patriotic song written by Irving Berlin in 1918.
He asked the group to join him in singing it as the concluding song.
?Great job,? he said. ?Kate would be proud.?
For more information on the Catholic Cemeteries Association, visit clecem.org.
