By Sr Catherine Reuter RSM

*Religious gather for the Ritual of Remembrance*

“We come once again, to the holy ground to remember our brothers and sisters who rest here in death. They were men and women of strong and embodied faith who lived the Gospel in the spirit of our traditions. They gifted the world with kindness, compassion, healing, and love. Through a wide array of ministries they furthered the one Mission of Christ. With commitment and dedication; with their great gifts and human frailties.”

*Prayers of Remembrance, with incense rising*

These words from the 2019 Ritual of Remembrance sum up the essence of the honouring of our dead. The Religious of Queensland gather annually at Nudgee Cemetery, in the late afternoon of the eve of All Saints Day to take time for this remembering and honouring. The event becomes more poignant each year with the increasing number who have made their final journey into God in the past twelve months. In contrast to this the numbers of those attending, remains strong.

*Placing lavender and rosemary on the graves.*

After the Ritual, people spread out and place sprigs of Lavender and Rosemary on the graves of the Religious from 30 Congregations. This is a time of catching up and sharing stories, nurturing bonds of commitment and growing solidarity. New connections and new insights about someone who has died are made when people meet at a grave to honour the same person.

Following the cemetery ritual and honouring, many gather at a local club for a shared meal. This is another opportunity for storytelling, fun and catching up.

The remembering and the honouring of those who have gone before us, has once again nourished us and given us strength and hope. We pray again as we prayed in the ritual; “that they will always be present to us, and like the sound of a bell in the quiet morning air, their memory will resonate in our lives today.