As part of the Diocesan Summer in the City Program, last week high school students visited Holy Cross Cemetery & Mausoleum located in Mays Landing, NJ. Each day a different group of students participated and worked with cemetery staff. Some of the work done at the cemetery included ground maintenance like weeding, mulching and painting as well as cleaning the mausoleum. The activities intertwined the 4 Pillars of the Summer in the City Youth Program – Service, Spirituality, Community and Social Justice — with the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. The youth gained an understanding of what it means to perform the Corporal Work of Mercy of burying the dead.
Each day, their experience began with the Spiritual Work of Mercy by praying to St. Gertrude the Great, Prayer for Souls in Purgatory for all those laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery & Mausoleum. The work performed at the cemetery helped not only to maintain the cemetery, but also it helped to bring consolation to families visiting their departed loved ones. The youth gained knowledge about the Catholic cemeteries and what it means to provide perpetual care. In addition, they were exposed to the Church’s teaching on the proper handling of cremated remains, including laying cremains to rest in sacred grounds, such as a Catholic cemetery. For information about the Summer in the City Your Program click here.