The annual Mass for deceased bishops, priests and the faithful departed was celebrated Nov. 5 on the cemetery grounds of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Newton Grove.
Several priests and high school students from Cardinal Gibbons, John Paul II and St. Thomas More Academy participated in the Mass.
Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama served as principal celebrant and homilist. He asked the students what they were looking forward to. The bishop also reminded them that whether or not goals are realized is often a result of how hard we work toward that goal.
He said people often prepare for events such as graduation, careers and retirement, but do not always prepare for when the Lord calls them to eternity.
“We are here on this day, in this place, so we can remember that we are mortal,” Bishop Luis said. “We are afraid to think about that moment, but we have plenty of time to prepare for that moment. Every day we need to get better and better in our lives to prepare.”
He added that when people think about death, it’s not often with hope.
“We are so afraid because we are not doing the ‘homework’ to discover today the face of Jesus and his love. He is calling us to be close to him, and from here on, we can taste and see the kingdom of heaven,” he said.
After Mass, the bishop blessed the tombstones of many buried at the cemetery, including the resting places of Bishop Vincent S. Waters and Bishop F. Joseph Gossman.
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