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Bishop Dedicates New Mausoleum

by Antonina Zielinska

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Bishop DiMarzio sprinkles holy water during dedication of the new Holy Family Mausoleum at St. Charles/Resurrection cemeteries in Farmingdale.

To commemorate All Souls Day, Nov. 2, Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio visited St. Charles and Resurrection Cemeteries in Farmingdale, L.I.

Approximately 1,000 people joined the bishop at an outdoor Mass under a specially erected tent. Bishop DiMarzio said participating in the Eucharist is the best way to honor the memory of loved ones. Therefore, he said, he was pleased to see so many people in attendance.

Although the feast is not obligatory, the bishop encouraged all Catholics to pray for the deceased on this day.

“On All Souls Day, we remember those who have died but have yet to achieve full union with God,” he said. “They are in this place of waiting we call purgatory.  They suffer because they don’t have the same vision of God that (saints) have. So we pray for them so that they can be purified of all faults and sins and be joined to God.”

Kathy Fetzer and her husband were among those who joined the bishop for Mass. She said All Souls Day, compared to All Saints Day, is more a more personal day, during which she takes the time to pray for her father and all those she loved who have passed away. Attending All Souls Day Mass is an important way she shows respect for the dead, she said.

Bishop DiMarzio said it is also important to remember those who are still alive during this holy day. He hopes the service and the good weather served as a consolation for those who are grieving.

“We pray for all those who lost loved ones, that they could be consoled on a day like this, (and) recognize the beautiful light, which we know is symbolic of the light of heaven,” he said.

While at St. Charles, Bishop DiMarzio blessed the newest addition to the cemetery, Holy Family Mausoleum.
The structure is adorned with religious stained-glass windows and artwork.

Stephen N. Comando, diocesan director of Catholic Cemeteries, said the mausoleum was inspired by high demand in the fastest growing cemetery conducted by the Brooklyn Diocese. He said it provides 2,000 spaces for coffins behind marble crypt fronts and 500 niches for those who have been cremated.

The new mausoleum provides the option for Catholics to be buried in a fashion that was once reserved for nobility and the wealthy. Bishop DiMarzio explained that burial in a mausoleum is equally valid to ground burial in the Catholic Church.

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