NEWTON GROVE, NORTH CAROLINA – The wind was catching many things. The white cloth covering the outdoor altar was anchored by candles at its corners, and the chasubles, or robes, of the priests and jackets of those gathered shifted with the breeze. Under sunlight and the occasional falling leaves, the Diocese of Raleigh held its annual Mass for deceased priests and bishops Nov. 5 on the grounds of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
In his homily, Bishop Luis Rafael Zarama spoke of the wind and its ability to create a feeling of freedom.
“How much does a day like this invite us to think better?” he asked. “That is something that we need to keep in mind. In our journey of faith … how much do we let the spirit be free? To let our souls dream. Dream of something better? Dream for a place. Life has a purpose and what is the purpose of our lives? The purpose of our lives is to let Jesus, to let the Holy Spirit, make us free to walk in the procession — thinking and dreaming of eternal life.”
Considering where we are going in our lives and considering eternal life, he added, was important to contemplate, especially when sitting in the middle of a cemetery celebrating the Eucharist. “Life never ended,” Bishop Luis said. “Lives changed.”
The Mass drew faithful from throughout the diocese, and high school students from Cardinal Gibbons High School and St. Thomas More Academy assisted in its celebration by altar serving, sharing readings and singing in a choir. Bernadette Horvath, who teaches middle school music at STMA and is responsible for its liturgical choir, played the keyboard.
During the prayers of the faithful, the response was “Raise us to new life, O Lord,” and those gathered prayed for those suffering, those dying and those “sharing in the Eucharistic feast” both on Earth and in Heaven.
Following tradition, Bishop Luis blessed the resting places of deceased priests, including Bishop F. Joseph Gossman (d. 2013) and Bishop Vincent S. Waters (d. 1974). The parish hosted a lunch afterward in its Drexel Hall.
After lunch, Deacon George Kenan of St. Therese Parish in Wrightsville Beach led a rosary outdoors in the cemetery.
Watch and listen as Bishop Luis shares the homily Nov. 5.
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