The last week of May always begins with a holiday, so I am writing to be sure none of us will miss the significance of the important moments that occur in our faith and in our nation – and why.

Monday, May 26 is our country’s official day to celebrate Memorial Day. It is a federal holiday for remembering and honoring people who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. This day is currently observed every year on the last Monday of May, but until 1970, was previously observed on May 30. It is considered the unofficial start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end on the first Monday in September.

Many people visit cemeteries on Memorial Day, particularly to honor those who died in military service. They were our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, moms and dads, grandparents, uncles, aunts, or friends. They went to war and gave their lives for a cause. They made their sacrifices. They are often in our thoughts; but especially on Memorial Day, we gather to say in one voice, “thank you.” We ask God’s peace for them and pray they may know how much we appreciate their sacrifice and the freedom they insured for us and our children.

The traditional Memorial Day Masses will be celebrated at Ascension Cemetery, Airmont [Rockland], Calvary Cemetery, Woodside [Queens], Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Hawthorne [Westchester], and Resurrection Cemetery, Pleasant Plains, [Staten Island]. Parish cemetery Masses are arranged by their pastors.

In the morning, the flags of the United States in public are raised briskly to the top of the staff and then solemnly lowered to the half-staff position, where they remain only until noon when they are raised to full-staff for the remainder of the day.

Thursday, May 29, of the same week is observed as Ascension Thursday, a holy day of obligation for all Catholics to attend Mass. It occurs on the 40th day after Easter and commemorates the Catholic belief in the bodily ascension of Jesus into heaven. Ascensiontide refers to the 10-day period between the Feast of the Ascension and the Feast of Pentecost. The Latin terms used for the feast signify that Christ was raised up by his own powers, and it is from these terms that the holy day gets its name.

In a number of places in our country, permission from the Vatican was granted to transfer observance from the traditional Thursday to the following Sunday (immediately before Pentecost). This is in keeping with a trend to move holy days of obligation from weekdays to Sunday to encourage more people to attend Mass. However, in the archdiocese, we maintain the custom of Thursday. Again, the Catholic Center will be closed on this day to give everyone the opportunity to attend Mass at the local parish as a way to sanctify this day, but our schools will remain open and there will be religious services provided for the students and staff.