Hundreds gathered to pray for the faithful departed during All Souls Day Mass at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield
SOUTHFIELD — Hope does not disappoint because of love.
This tenet, drawn from the second reading for the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, served as the focal point of the All Souls Mass offered on Monday, Nov. 2, at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Southfield.
Detroit Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger offered the Mass, with special prayers and a blessing over the cremains to be interred in the mausoleum for All Souls Day. Following Mass, the archbishop also blessed the new Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services offices, on the grounds of Holy Sepulchre.
In his opening remarks, Archbishop Weisenburger reflected on the relationship between the solemnity of All Saints and the feast of All Souls, both in their placement in the calendar and in their theological and liturgical connection. While on All Saints, the Church recognizes those who are "perfectly in the beatific vision," on All Souls, the Church prays for those souls in purgatory.
"Purgatory is sort of like emerging from a dark room into the light," Archbishop Weisenburger said in his homily. "It just takes a little time for the eyes to adjust."
Reflecting on purgatory as a place of adjustment, the archbishop also emphasized the connection of all the faithful — living and dead — through Christ. Affirming that all are "more connected than separate," he ruminated on the Church's prayers for the dead, as well as the prayers of the dead for the Church on earth as a means to bring everyone closer to heaven.
"We pray for them, and we also ask them to pray for us," the archbishop continued. "And with that hope in our hearts — a hope on the foundation of love — we can anticipate their joyful presence again in the fullness of time and the truthfulness of God."
The primary focus of the archbishop's homily, however, was love.
"It was the love of the Father that raised Jesus from the dead, and it is the promise of that love that is our hope," the archbishop said.
Sharing a story of a woman during the Second Vatican Council who asked, "What does love have to do with being Catholic," Archbishop Weisenburger said, "The answer, of course, is: everything."
"Sometimes I figure we've possibly forgotten the heart of the Gospel," he continued. "And when we forget the heart of the Gospel, we lose hope."
Shawn Bennis of Guardian Angels Parish in Clawson, who attended Monday morning's Mass, echoed these sentiments in her reflection on the Mass.
"Death is sad, and we are sad, but our Mass makes it all about Jesus, and that there is always something after," Bennis told Detroit Catholic. "And we need to remember that Jesus is love. Oftentimes we forget that."
Bennis, who attended with her son Josh, has a special connection to Holy Sepulchre. Her father was interred in the mausoleum as part of the Gather Them Home initiative 11 years ago, and much of her and her husband's families are at Holy Sepulchre, as well.
After beginning their day with Mass, the Bennises planned to stop at four other cemeteries throughout the day to visit and clean up the graves of other deceased family members and loved ones.
"There are a lot of people here," Bennis said. "It's really nice. And hope does not disappoint — we're not going to forget that."
