Hundreds join annual Walk to Remember at seven Catholic cemeteries throughout diocese

More than 400 people – nearly double the number from last year – spent a portion of their Sunday afternoon on Oct. 4 at seven of the Catholic cemeteries in the Diocese of Cleveland for the annual Walk to Remember.

It was a perfect early fall day – sunny, blue skies and temperatures hovering near 70 degrees – for the event. Locations for this year’s walk were Nativity Mausoleum at All Saints Cemetery, Northfield; Mary Queen of Peace Mausoleum at All Souls Cemetery, Chardon; the main office at Calvary Cemetery, Cleveland; Sacred Heart Mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery, Akron; St. Jude Mausoleum at Holy Cross Cemetery, Brook Park; the main office at Resurrection Cemetery, Valley City; and St. Joseph Mausoleum at St. Joseph Cemetery, Avon. 

Participants either could walk a half-mile loop in the cemetery or stay in the office or mausoleum and pray the rosary in remembrance of their deceased loved ones.

In addition, people were invited to post the names of their loved ones on the cemeteries association’s Remembrance Wall. 

Cemetery officials said the walk draws many people each year who want to remember their loved ones in a special way.

The next major event hosted by the cemeteries association is Cemetery Sunday, scheduled for 3 p.m. Nov. 1. Mass will be celebrated on the cemetery grounds as a spiritual way to honor deceased family members who are buried in a Catholic cemetery.

Contact Suzanne Richter at srichter@clecem.org or 216-930-4866 for more information on Cemetery Sunday.