Honoring Our Heroes: Heartfelt Memorial Day Masses at Archdiocesan Cemeteries

Despite the overcast skies threatening rain, the turnout for this year’s Memorial Day Mass at Holy Cross Cemetery and Mausoleum in North Arlington exceeded expectations. By the time Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., D.D., Archbishop of Newark, began his homily, nearly all the seats were occupied, with some attendees standing on the sides to get a better view.

This annual event is part of the national celebration “Serving God and Country: A Memorial Day Salute to Our Heroes,” where over 1,000 Catholic cemeteries across the country simultaneously honor the men and women who sacrificed their lives while serving in the armed forces.

Nelson Agurto his wife and two children attended the Mass at Holy Cross.

Locally, Masses were also celebrated at Gate of Heaven (Bishop Manuel A. Cruz, D.D.); Maryrest Cemetery, Mahwah (Bishop Michael A. Saporito, D.D.; Saint Gertrude Cemetery, Colonia (Bishop Elias R. Lorenzo, O.S.B., D.D.); Holy Name Cemetery, Jersey City (Bishop Gregory J. Studerus, D.D.); Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes (Father John J. Chadwick, S.T.D.); and Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, East Orange (Father Philip J. Waters, O.S.B.).

Among the attendees at Holy Cross Cemetery was Jan Kornak, a Vietnam veteran and Lyndhurst resident, formerly of North Arlington. Kornak has attended the Memorial Day Mass at Holy Cross Cemetery since completing his Army tour in a heavy artillery unit in 1968. Reflecting on his service, Kornak considers himself fortunate, as his infantry was stationed a safe distance from the front lines despite his young age of 20.

Memorial Day 2024 — *Father John Chadwick at Christ the King Cemetery, in Franklin Lakes. (Maxim Almenas)*

“The prayers of his family blessed him,” said his wife, Krystyna Kornak, who attends daily Mass with her husband at St. Michael the Archangel Church in Lyndhurst. “Like my mother and sisters, we attend Mass every day. Our faith is so strong. No matter what happens, somehow, with God’s help and praying the rosary to our Blessed Mother, we always find a way.”

Arelys Cedeño, another devoted attendee, has never lost a loved one to combat but participates in the Memorial Day Mass every year to honor the sacrifices of her friends and to pray for the faithful departed who may not have anyone praying for them.

Her most cherished memory occurred last year when, after the Mass, Cardinal Tobin held her hands and blessed her. “I felt the presence of the Lord so intensely in my heart that tears rushed down my face,” Cedeño recalled emotionally. “That memory always tugs at my heart, reminding me that God is always with me.”

Following the Mass, as the large tent and hundreds of chairs were packed away, Kenilworth resident Nelson Agurto, his wife, and two children stood in front of the tombstone of Jorge Oliveira. Oliveira, a late staff sergeant and Essex County Sheriff, served with Agurto in the 113th Infantry. Oliveira made the ultimate sacrifice during the Afghanistan War in the province of Paktika on October 19, 2011. He also served in Iraq from 2008-2009 and at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba in 2004.

Oliveira’s brother Marco named his son after Jorge, and their mother regularly beautifies his gravesite with brightly colored flowers. Despite the inherent dangers, Agurto, inspired by his father who served in Peru, believes that the benefits of military service outweigh the risks.

“You create lifelong bonds with people,” Agurto reflected on the significance of Memorial Day. “We have to respect our brothers and sisters in arms who, unfortunately, didn’t come back home and sacrificed their lives.”

Click here to visit the Catholic Cemeteries website and see more photos and videos from Memorial Day Mass 2024.