Bishop Anthony B. Taylor begins the All Souls’ Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock Nov. 2. He concelebrated Mass with rector Father Jack Vu and associate pastor Father Aby Abraham, IMS, of the Cathedral of St. Andrew. About 80 people attended the distanced, outdoor Mass. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Liz Tingquist, diocesan director of youth and campus ministry, serves as the lector for the All Souls’ Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock Nov. 2. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor discusses purgatory in his homily, likening an unpurified soul in heaven to a “3-year-old in Paris,” making purgatory necessary to enjoy the purity of heaven. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor points to the Polish phrase on his chausuble, “Merciful like the Father,” explaining we are to pray for the Father’s mercy on the souls of the departed. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Terry Crow (left), Kristin McConnell and her mother Taffy Council pray and kneel during the All Souls’ Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock Nov. 2. Council’s husband, Dr. Tony Council died Feb. 14, 2020, and is buried at Calvary. His name was read during Mass in the list of the deceased from 2020. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Missionaries of Charity receive Communion from Bishop Taylor during the All Souls’ Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock Nov. 2. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Bishop Taylor blesses the faithful at the conclusion of the All Souls’ Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery Nov. 2. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Bishop Taylor blesses graves in Priests’ Circle for All Souls’ Day Nov. 2, with seminarian James Freeman assisting. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Bishop Taylor leads a rosary procession with Deacon John Hall, Fathers Jack Vu and Aby Abraham and seminarians Sam Stengel (carrying the cross), James Freeman (left) and Jonathan Semmler at Calvary Cemetery. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Debbie King, wife of Deacon Butch King who died Aug. 28, prays the rosary following the All Souls’ Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery Nov. 2. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Sister Mary Clare Bezner, OSB, diocesan minister for religious, leads a rosary Nov. 2 at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock. Because of COVID-19 distancing guidelines, the faithful did not process around the cemetery with the bishop but stayed at their seats to pray the rosary. (Aprille Hanson photo)

Praying for all souls during Mass at Calvary Cemetery

Congregants prayed rosary at their seats instead of processing through cemetery

Published: November 6, 2020

Aprille Hanson

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor leads a rosary procession with priests, seminarians and a deacon after the All Souls’ Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery Nov. 2. Because of COVID-19 distancing guidelines, the faithful stayed at their seats to pray a rosary instead of the usual group procession.

Aprille Hanson

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor celebrated the annual outdoor All Souls’ Day Mass Nov. 2 at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock for a physically distanced and masked congregation of about 80. The Mass was moved from its usual location near the crucifix to a space near the cemetery office building for more distancing.

Bishop Taylor concelebrated the Mass with rector Father Jack Vu and associate pastor Father Aby Abraham, IMS, of the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock. Deacon John Hall of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock also served, along with lector Liz Tingquist, diocesan director of youth and campus ministry, with seminarians Jonathan Semmler, Sam Stengel and James Freeman as altar servers.

Because of COVID-19 restrictions for distancing, Bishop Taylor led a rosary procession around the cemetery to bless the graves with only priests, seminarians and deacon, while Sister Mary Clare Bezner, OSB, diocesan minister for religious, led the faithful in a rosary from their seats.

During his homily, the bishop pointed to his chasuble, with the phrase “Merciful like the Father” in Polish from the Divine Mercy shrine in Poland, saying, “Mercy is what Jesus came for and for us to share in his glory. So, you and I are gathered here today ... to pray for our loved ones, for all the people that are buried in the cemetery and also our loved ones who may be buried in some other place, asking for the Lord’s mercy for them. And asking that when our time comes, that there’ll be people praying for us too. I could certainly use it. And so today we express our confidence in the redemption won for us in Jesus, and we lift up our prayers for those who have died.”

Father Vu and parishioners and youth from St. Patrick Church in North Little Rock and the Cathedral visited Calvary Cemetery Oct. 31 to help clean the Sisters of Mercy headstones. Sister Mary Rose Vu, FMSR, director of religious education at both parishes, said the children had a meaningful day praying for the souls while cleaning the headstones. Thao Nguyen and her four children also cleaned the children’s garden.

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