Cardinal Timothy Dolan celebrated All Souls’ Day Mass for about 1,000 people at Resurrection Cemetery on the southern shore of Staten Island, reminding the faithful to remember their eternal and final destination. 

“Why is it so important in our Catholic tradition to visit the graves of our faithful departed?” Cardinal Dolan asked during his homily at the November 2 Mass. “It’s a reminder that eventually, we’ll be here too,” he said. 

He related that after being named Archbishop of New York in 2009, one of the first things he did was to visit the crypt beneath the altar of St. Patrick’s Cathedral with his predecessor, Cardinal Edward Egan, to see where he would one day be interred.

“In the Church’s tradition, in the old days, the cemetery was always attached to the parish because we knew it was good for God’s people to be reminded that we too, one day, will die, and to keep our eternal destiny in mind,” Cardinal Dolan said.  

The cardinal said that on his way to the cemetery that day, he heard the first Christmas music of the year. “November 2 is too early for Christmas music, but it is not too early for Easter music,” he said. 

Among the concelebrants of the Mass were Father Eric Rapaglia, pastor of St. Joseph-St. Thomas-St. John Neumann Parish; Father Robert Dillon, pastor of St. Patrick’s Church of Staten Island, and former pastor of St. Joseph-St. Thomas-St. John Neumann Parish; and Father James Ferreira, pastor of Our Lady Help of Christians in Tottenville. Mary Ellen Gerrity, executive director of the Board of Trustees of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, also attended the Mass.

The trustees of St. Patrick’s Cathedral are charged with the care and management of the six Calvary and Allied Cemeteries, of which Resurrection Cemetery is one.

A short while later, Cardinal Dolan joined Frs. Rapaglia, Dillon, and others, along with families of the parish of St. Joseph-St. Thomas-St. John Neumann for the blessing of their new community gymnasium. The parish’s existing gym was renovated, and the new facility was built next to it to accommodate CYO girls’ and boys’ basketball and other community events. During the blessing ceremony, the gym was partitioned so that the other half could be used for early voting.  

Archdiocese of New York Auxiliary Bishop Edmund J. Whalen, vicar for clergy, initiated the fundraising for the new gym, while he was pastor from 2007 to 2010. Father Robert Dillon completed the fundraising and started the gymnasium renovation and expansion project, carrying it mostly to completion during his time as pastor  from 2010 to 2022. Father Eric finished the project, and has served as pastor since 2022, he told The Good Newsroom.  

With Father Eric, Cardinal Dolan blessed the gymnasium, all those in attendance, those who helped raise funds for and supported the project, and all who would use it, sprinkling holy water on its walls, floors, and bleacher seating. Cardinal Dolan was then joined by Father Eric and Father Dillion to cut the ceremonial ribbon opening the gym. A reception followed the ceremony. 

“The community is growing and there is a need for a center of family life and Christian community,” Father Eric told The Good Newsroom in an interview. “We’re ecstatic to have Cardinal Dolan here. He’s always so full of charity and enthusiasm,” he said.