The longtime Memorial Day tradition of celebrating Mass at Catholic cemeteries in the Diocese of Cleveland continues on May 26.
Catholic Cemeteries Association has scheduled liturgies for 9 a.m. at the following locations:
- Calvary Cemetery, 555 N. Ridge Road, Lorain, Father Frank Kosem and Father Craig Hovanec
- St. Mary Cemetery, 4720 E. 71stSt., Cuyahoga Heights, Father Ralph Hudak
- St. Agnes Church, 611 Lake Ave., Elyria (for St. Mary Cemetery, Elyria), Father Charles Diedrick
A Mass will be celebrated at 8:30 a.m. at St. Mary of the Falls Church, 25615 Bagley Ave., Olmsted Falls, by Father Ryan Cubera and a Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. at St. Rocco Church, 3205 Fulton Road, Cleveland by Father James Meyer, O de M.
Liturgies are scheduled for 10 a.m. at the following cemeteries:
- All Saints, 480 W. Highland Road, Northfield, Father Luigi Miola assisted by Deacon Raymond Daull
- Resurrection, 6303 Center Road, Valley City. Father Robert Kraig
- All Souls, 10366 Chardon Road, Chardon, Father Frederick Pausche and Father David Majikas
- Calvary, 10000 Miles Ave., Cleveland, Auxiliary Bishop emeritus Roger Gries, OSB and Father Anthony Schuerger
- Holy Cross, 100 E. Waterloo Road, Akron, Father Thomas McCann
- Holy Cross, 14609 Brookpark Road, Brook Park, Father Michael Garvin
- St. Joseph, 32789 Detroit Road, Avon, Father Gerald Keller
Most cemetery Masses are outdoors, so attendees should bring a lawn chair and an umbrella in case of rain. Masses at All Saints (Northfield), St. Joseph (Avon), St. Mary (Cuyahoga Heights) and Calvary (Lorain) cemeteries will be indoors.
St. Rocco Church hosts the cemetery Mass for St. Mary Cemetery on West 41st Street in Cleveland; St. Agnes Church in Elyria hosts the cemetery Mass for St. Mary Cemetery in Elyria and St. Mary of the Falls hosts the Mass for St. Mary Cemetery in Berea.
Prior to the cemetery Masses, veterans groups and other volunteers come to each cemetery to pick up flags provided by the cemeteries and place them on the graves of veterans. Click here for detailed information on grave decorations at Catholic cemeteries under the jurisdiction of the Cemeteries Association.
Rhonda Abrams, bereavement coordinator for the Catholic Cemeteries Association, said the association was established in 1927 and has been coordinating cemetery Masses and other special events for many years.
For more information, call 216-641-7575 or email her at rabrams@clecem.org.