Each year on November 2nd we celebrate a special Mass of Remembrance for our loved ones who we lost. This Mass is a bittersweet celebration of prayer, remembering, sadness at our loss and celebration of our faith in the resurrection.
Our tradition is to invite everyone to bring a photo or memento of their loved ones that is placed in the sanctuary during the Mass. People also submit names which are placed in our Book of the Dead which is also placed in the sanctuary. The Paschal Candle, symbol of the Risen Lord who is always with us, stands tall over the names and photos.
This year, over 150 people attended the Mass in person and hundreds more people from all over the world prayed with us over livestream. This celebration is particularly important in New York where so many people have come to live from far away and may not be able to return home for the funeral of a loved one, and it is important during this time of pandemic when travel is still difficult for many people.
Below is the video of this year’s Mass of Remembrance: