By Jessica Easthope
Amalfis Figueroa fights through her tears. Earlier this year her mother-in-law was shockingly diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer. By the time she found out it was too late for treatment. She died in July.
“She’s the one who supported me in this country when I came here for the first time, took care of me when I had nobody else here, we had 40 years together, she took care of my 4 children, she bring them to school for me so I could go to work,” Amalfis said.
Amalfis came to the All Souls’ Day field Mass at the chapel of Holy Cross Cemetery, where her mother-in-law is buried, looking for healing and any sign that she’s at peace.
“I feel that she’s passed, she’s okay, she help poor people, sent things back to my country and to the church, she was poor she had nothing but whatever she had she gave it to the people who needed it more,” she said.
The Mass was one of several held in the Diocese of Brooklyn for the faithful departed and was celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Witold Mroziewski.
“I wanted to send them the message that our life is changing but has not ended, our life with God and with the saints of God and all of those who have been called to eternity they are living with us,” said Bishop Witold.
“As the bishop said they may have died but their souls are still with us and that’s what we need to hold onto,” said Daniella Pierre-Kingsley.
Bishop Witold’s message resonated with Marie Exantus and Daniella Pierre-Kingsley, best friends who came to mourn their loved ones, including several friends who died of COVID-19 and are buried at Holy Cross.
“We have them, we have them in our hearts, we have them in our memories, this is enough to keep us going and keep praying so that we are reunited with them again,” said Daniella.
Though grief can evolve, for many it’s forever, but those who attended the All Souls’ Day Mass found comfort in the central belief of our faith is that we will be with our loved ones again.