The Catholic “Month of the Dead” ends today, a traditional time for special efforts to visit the graves of loved ones and to redouble prayers for the Holy Souls in Purgatory.

We know that the word “cemetery” derives from a Greek word meaning dormitory, reflecting our belief that the dead merely “sleep” and haven’t passed into nothingness. This belief of course underlies why the Church has always maintained cemeteries as sacred places.

At various locations in our archdiocese, this mission is among those being helped by One Faith, One Hope, One Love through its Parish Priorities component.

• In the southeast region of our archdiocese, St. Philomena parish in Stonelick Township allotted a portion of its rebate to rebuild walkways in the church burial grounds, Clermont County’s oldest cemetery. Campaign funds also pay for historical markers, such as “We proclaim your Death oh Lord, and profess your Resurrection, until you come again.” The parish’s former pastor says a restoration project at the cemetery “changed my life as a priest.”

• In the northwest, St. John the Baptist Church in Maria Stein – the community that’s home to the second-largest collection of holy relics in the United States – is expanding its cemetery that traces to the 19^th century.

(Those buried there include the inventor of the first practical manure spreader, an incalculable labor-saver for farmers.)

• In the Cincinnati area, an increase by more than a third in funerals involving cremation has led St. James the Greater Church in White Oak to provide a columbarium in its parish cemetery.

We hope you’ve had a blessed Month of the Dead. May the souls of the faithful departed through the mercy of God rest in peace.