By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Bishop Fernando Isern, retired bishop of Pueblo, Colorado, says a few words before laying a wreath on Memorial Day at the Veterans Memorial of Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Doral.
Bishop Fernando Isern, retired bishop of Pueblo, Colorado, takes part in a wreath-laying ceremony on Memorial Day at the Veterans Memorial of Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Doral.
Bishop Fernando Isern, retired bishop of Pueblo, Colorado, poses with the Knights of Columbus honor guard after taking part in a wreath-laying ceremony on Memorial Day at the Veterans Memorial of Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Doral.
Bishop Fernando Isern, retired bishop of Pueblo, Colorado, greets a veteran after taking part in a wreath-laying ceremony on Memorial Day at the Veterans Memorial of Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Doral.
Girls, Boys and Cub Scouts from Troop 552, based out of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Doral, get ready to place U.S. flags on the gravesites of veterans buried at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Doral on Memorial Day 2019.
Girls, Boys and Cub Scouts from Troop 552, based out of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Doral, pose for a photo before placing U.S. flags on the gravesites of veterans buried at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Doral on Memorial Day 2019.
Cub Scouts from Troop 552, based out of Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in Doral, place U.S. flags on the gravesites of veterans buried at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Doral on Memorial Day 2019.
On Memorial Day, both Catholic cemeteries encourage families to pray year-round for those serving in the U.S. military by asking them to take home a toy soldier as a reminder.
On Memorial Day, Miami Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado pauses after laying a wreath at the Veterans Memorial of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery in North Lauderdale.
A Boy Scout salutes after planting a U.S. flag at the gravesite of a veteran in Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery in North Lauderdale in honor of Memorial Day 2019.
Boy Scouts pose and salute after planting U.S. flags at the gravesites of veterans in Our Lady Queen of Heaven Cemetery in North Lauderdale in honor of Memorial Day 2019.
Photography: COURTESY | Catholic cemeteries
MIAMI | The Archdiocese of Miami honored those who gave their lives fighting for freedom during simultaneous ceremonies at the Catholic cemeteries on Memorial Day.
Bishop Fernando Isern, retired bishop of Pueblo, Colorado, celebrated the annual Mass at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery in Doral. Surrounded by a Knights of Columbus honor guard, he also laid a wreath at the cemetery's Veterans Memorial after celebrating the Mass.
In Broward, Miami Auxiliary Bishop Enrique Delgado celebrated Mass at the same time at Our Lady Queen of Heaven in North Lauderdale, also laying a wreath afterward at that cemetery's Veterans Memorial.
In conjunction with the Masses, Boy Scout troops from both counties continued a tradition of placing U.S. flags on the grave sites of all the veterans buried in both cemeteries. According to Mary Jo Frick, executive director of Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Miami, "several thousand" veterans are buried in each cemetery. It takes the Scouts about four hours to complete the project.
