Tree lighting at Calvary highlights love for departed

Madeline Clements hung an ornament on the Tree of Remembrance Dec. 2 at Calvary Cemetery on Newburg Road. (Record Photo by Ruby Thomas)

Five hundred-plus people who gathered at Calvary Cemetery on the cold, wet evening of Dec. 2 heard that they remain joined to their loved ones, even in death.

“The cherished memories that we have of them can never fade because we carry what they meant to us deep in our hearts,” said Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre during the outdoor blessing and lighting of the cemetery’s Tree of Remembrance. “We remain joined in love to all of those who have died.”

Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre prayed during a service to bless the Tree of Remembrance at Calvary Cemetery Dec. 2. About 500 people gathered at the annual event to remember their departed loved ones by hanging ornaments on the tree. The archbishop was assisted by Father Jerry Bell, left and Barry Mudd, associate director of the Office of Worship. (Record Photo by Ruby Thomas)

He continued, noting that “we come here tonight with tears that are fresh because the death is recent or we come here tonight with tears that have been around a while because our loved ones departed life a long time ago, but tears nonetheless.”

The archbishop encouraged his listeners to remember the love that they shared rather than the fact that their loved ones have departed this life.

Patrice Payton selected an ornament to personalize and hang on the Tree of Remembrance Dec. 2 at Calvary Cemetery. (Record Photo by Ruby Thomas)

Participants remembered their loved ones by writing their names on glass ornaments provided by Catholic Cemeteries and hanging them from the 16-foot live Nordmann fir tree.

The free ornaments will be available throughout the Advent and Christmas seasons at the Catholic Cemeteries Office in Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Road.

Trysh Wahlig and Ben Singer selected ornaments which they personalized and hung on the Tree of Remembrance Dec. 2 at Calvary Cemetery in honor of their departed loved ones. (Record Photo by Ruby Thomas)
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