Catholic Cemeteries + Crematoria welcomed nearly 700 attendees across three cemeteries for its annual All Souls Day Masses
November holds deep significance for the families and communities we serve, and for the teams at Catholic Cemeteries + Crematoria (CCC). Across our cemeteries and memorial parks, All Souls Day gatherings bring people together to honour loved ones, pray and find comfort in shared remembrance.
Among these commemorations were our annual All Souls Day Masses, held this year, at three CCC locations.
Bringing communities together in prayer and remembrance
On Saturday 31 October 2026, Fr Anthony Fregolent presided at Liverpool Cemetery’s Chapel of Reflection at 10.30 am Mass for approximately 150 attendees, followed closely by Fr Michael de Stoop presiding at Rookwood Catholic Cemetery’s Mary, Mother of Mercy Chapel at 12.00 pm Mass with approximately 250 attendees.
At 2.00 pm on Sunday 1 November, approximately 280 people joined Fr Janusz Bieniek for Mass at The Pavilion at Kemps Creek Memorial Park. Around 120 people gathered in and around the Pavilion, with a further 160 participating from across the park’s lawns – on picnic blankets, in chairs and beneath sun shades – many beside their loved ones’ graves. The cemetery’s PA system carried the Mass throughout the grounds, connecting families in prayer wherever they gathered.
Behind every gathering: The care and commitment of CCC teams
Across the Masses, our Grief Care team, cemetery and memorial park staff, and the acolyte, worked together to support participation, distribute booklets and fans, assist with hospitality and help bring Holy Communion to those participating from beside their loved ones’ graves. Grief Care team members were also available for pastoral support, offering a listening ear or a quiet, reassuring presence.
These services form part of a much wider commitment across CCC. Behind each gathering is the substantial work of grounds and operational teams: preparing spaces, arranging chairs and tents, managing traffic, providing water and attending to countless details. With some commemorations taking place in the early morning or evening, this care extends well beyond usual working hours.
Flowers offered for families to take home or place at their loved ones’ graves, remembrance booklets, thoughtfully chosen hymns, music and hospitality all contributed to a welcoming atmosphere. Together, these gestures reflected the shared care of teams across many disciplines.
The lasting impact of compassionate care and remembrance
At Liverpool, a gentleman asked that his heartfelt thanks be passed on to CCC staff and everyone involved. Both as someone grieving his mother’s death last year and as a counsellor, he deeply valued Grief Care’s intentional check-in calls and the remembrance services provided by CCC. They reassured him that he had not been forgotten.
A Rookwood attendee described the Mass as “a very moving and meaningful service”, praising Fr Michael’s comforting homily. Reflecting on Rookwood Cemetery Manager Mark Hamilton’s closing words, the attendee especially valued the reminder that:
“We are nevertheless part of a community that walks alongside one another and supports one another through it.”
With further communities gathering throughout November, this season of remembrance continues. It remains a significant time for attendees and our teams alike – a shared commitment to honouring those who have died and expressing, through every welcome and thoughtful gesture, the enduring care at the heart of CCC.
