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Archbishop Gregory Aymond will be the principal celebrant of the All Saints’ Day Mass Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. at St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, New Orleans, followed by blessing of the graves and light refreshments.

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Many parishes in the Archdiocese of New Orleans offer bereavement groups or grief support ministries after the death of a loved one:

A special program offered by the New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office is eliminating the stresses of keeping a loved one’s grave brightened with a steady supply of fresh, seasonal flowers.

*See revisions as of 10-31-18 Image  | COURTESY NEW ORLEANS CATHOLIC CEMETERIES This colorful mosaic, a collaborative art project completed by students at St. Michael Special School for installation at Resurrection Mausoleum in St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, is the focus of the 2018 coaster created for the Friends of New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries. For a minimum donation of $25, Friends receive a coaster, regular updates from the New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office and periodic “Friends-only” mailings. All donations assist in the restoration of historic, abandoned tombs in New Orleans’ two oldest cemeteries, both listed on the National Register of Historic Places: St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 (established in 1789) and St. Louis Cemetery No. 2 (1823). For more information on how to become a “Friend,” visit www.nolacatholiccemeteries.org. ----- *Archbishop Gregory Aymond will be the principal celebrant of the All Saints’ Day Mass Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. in Our Lady of the Rosary Church, across from St. Louis Cemetery No. 3, New Orleans, followed by blessing of the graves.

Many parishes in the Archdiocese of New Orleans offer bereavement groups or grief support ministries after the death of a loved one: All Saints Catholic Church, New Orleans Bereavement team assists the family in preparing for the Funeral Mass by helping them choose the readings. Members also can assist in preparing the program. They attend the funeral and offer hospitality to those who come. They do followup calls or visits after the funeral. Contact Barbara Robinson at 361-8835. Archdiocese Retreat Center, Metairie Bereavement Support Group meets every third Wednesday of the month at 10 a.m. 5500 St. Mary St., Metairie. Contact Janice Bodet at 288-9040.

The New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office has updated its popular “Family Records Guide” to include a brief overview of the Catholic funeral rite. Renamed the “Catholic Funeral Planning Guide,” the booklet still allows individuals to conveniently fill in their personal wishes and other details related to their funeral, burial and estate, but now a new preface explains the reasons behind the three parts of the Catholic funeral rite: the Vigil (wake); the Funeral Mass; and the Rite of Committal. The preface also lists other considerations, such as the need to contact your pastor or notify the funeral director if you want a Catholic Funeral Mass. “So many times a parent will pass away and the children do not know what their wishes are: Do they want to be cremated? Have they already bought a mausoleum crypt in a cemetery? Were they drawing a pension?” said Sherri Peppo, executive director of New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries. “My goal is that people start talking about death, so it becomes less scary,” Peppo said, noting that married couples often are total opposites when it comes to discussing the topic. “But you do need to talk about it – you’ve got to let your family know what your plans are,” she said.

The passage from the Gospel of St. Luke (7:11-17) is one of the most powerful and compelling in the Bible. In the city of Naim – also known as Nain – Jesus encounters a large crowd at the gate. A young man who has died – “the only son of his mother, and she was a widow” – is being carried out for burial. Upon seeing the widowed mother in tears, Jesus tells her, “Do not weep.” He then touches the coffin and directs the young man to get up. The man arises and begins to speak. “Fear seized them all, and they glorified God, exclaiming, ‘A great prophet has arisen in our midst,’ and ‘God has visited his people,’” the passage concludes.

A new half-acre garden inside St. Patrick Cemetery No. 3 will significantly expand local options for those who are considering cremation as their preferred method of burial. The Queen of All Saints Cremation Garden, located in the rear of St. Patrick Cemetery No. 3 at 143 City Park Ave., will offer 631 single and double niches designed exclusively for the interment of cremated remains. The garden will be blessed by Archbishop Gregory Aymond on Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. The blessing, which is open to the public, will conclude with the release of more than 300 Painted Lady butterflies symbolizing new life. Sherri Peppo, executive director of the New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries Office, said the space now occupied by Queen of All Saints originally was being considered for development as a mausoleum site. But recent upticks in both local and national interest in cremation had led Cemeteries staff to rethink the space as a lush and architecturally stunning garden for the burial of cremated remains.

The office of Deacon Dave Farinelli, clinical supervisor and counselor at Catholic Counseling Service of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, is a safe haven for feelings and for tears. When Deacon Farinelli counsels persons who are grieving because of the death of a loved one – whether the deceased died suddenly or declined over a long period of time – he always tries to get them talking in detail about the person they have lost. It’s the elephant in the room that so many people can’t talk about with their friends, who often don’t know what to say and retreat into innocuous conversation. “A lot of times, at the very beginning, I tell them to talk and tell me as much as they can about their child or the person they lost,” Deacon Farinelli said. “What kind of person was he? Did you enjoy being with him? The more they talk, the better they are. I also tell them to journal because they may not be comfortable talking about it, but they may be more comfortable writing it out.  “They can write letters to the person who died, saying things they needed to say. They can tear it up or burn it or keep it – they can do whatever they want with it. It’s a chance for them to put down what they felt when they lost that person. They can say the things they always wanted to say. That definitely helps them unpack all of that.”