Life-size Stations of the Cross at Resurrection Cemetery a powerful visual reminder of the Savior’s love for humanity, sacrifice for all

CLINTON TOWNSHIP — On the day on which Christ was laid in the tomb, it seemed appropriate that hundreds of local Catholics prayed at a cemetery. 

Every year since 1969, Resurrection Cemetery in Clinton Township has hosted an outdoor Stations of the Cross on its grounds, making using of the 7-foot-tall statues of Christ in the 14 scenes that make up the centuries-old devotion. 

After last year’s devotion was done virtually, this year’s participants gathered again at the cemetery’s grounds April 2, commemorating the path Christ took to achieve mankind’s salvation. 

“The stations are absolutely beautiful, one of only three (sets) of these sculptures in the world; the other two are in France and Toronto,” Frank Oldani, director of family services at the Detroit-based Mt. Elliot Cemetery Association, told Detroit Catholic. “One of the unique things about these sculptures is Jesus is always one foot taller than any of the other people in each of the stations.” 

Fr. Michael Quaine, pastor of St. Michael Parish in Sterling Heights, has been leading the devotion for 17 years, guiding people along the meditative prayer.

“Cemeteries are holy ground. In a lot of ways, it is just below a church in terms of holy places,” Fr. Quaine said. “There is a natural affinity, thinking about those who mourn, and the suffering of Jesus (on Good Friday) makes this particular devotion at the cemetery so meaningful to them. For decades now, people who have laid their loved ones to rest here come back for this.” 

Having the faithful physically walk the path, as opposed to remaining in a pew, is a resemblance of the original Stations of the Cross devotion, Fr. Quaine said, which was started to reflect the Via Dolorosa processional route in the Old City of Jerusalem. 

“The whole development of the devotion of Stations of the Cross included movement,” Fr. Quaine said. “Initially, it was to supplant the whole experience of pilgrimage, which goes back to the third and fourth century. It was the dream of every Christian to go to the Holy Land, to walk the Via Dolorosa, which would include prayers and Scripture readings and pastoral reflections and even music. But that was cost prohibitive for most people, so the Stations of the Cross were developed from that. But they always included movement from one station to another.” 

Last year, Fr. Quaine recorded a video of the Station of the Cross procession when Good Friday fell during the first spike of COVID-19 cases in Michigan and public liturgies were suspended.  

This year, with vaccination rates increasing and greater understanding of the virus, people were glad to be back to walking the Stations in person. 

“We received many, many calls from people who wanted to attend this service,” Oldani said. “By coming here today, people see it as a return to normalcy. We’ve done this every year since 1969. It’s outside, it’s safe and I think everybody appreciates this.”

Fr. Quaine agrees the gathering is a welcomed sight. It’s one of his favorite parts about being a priest. He maintains great respect for Stations of the Cross, a Good Friday devotion that has brought so much comfort, solace and reflection for the faithful throughout the centuries.  

“Devotions that have been this long lasting must have spoken to the people, helping them through awful times in history,” Fr. Quaine said. “I have a lot of respect for devotions that have been with us as long as the Stations of the Cross have been. As challenging as some of our lives can be today, to still use those same prayers that sustained our brothers and sisters long ago, they can continue to sustain us today in our difficulties.”