Three events are coming up in Lafayette to honor those gone before us and those who have served their country.
Fountain Memorial Funeral Home is hosting the events. The first will be held on November 1, which is recognized as All Saints Day in the Catholic church. It honors all saints, both known and unknown, according to Kermit Bouillon, Fountain Memorial funeral director. Pope Gregory decided in the 9th century to establish a day for the entire Catholic church to honor saints, thus establishing All Saints Day. It's now celebrated all over the world.
Fr. Campion from St. Edmonds will be speaking at the event; after, refreshments will be served, then those in attendance will be asked to walk to the grave or area where their loved one is buried. Fr. Campion will walk around and bless each grave with Holy Water. Those in attendance will also receive rosary beads, a yellow rose, and a prayer card.
Bouillon said the event is important because it helps those in the church who wonder about their ancestors after their death.
"It's one of the days of the year we can honor them and rejoice that they're in Heaven," he added.
Also coming up is a special ceremony for Veterans Day on November 11. The event will feature a local fire truck draped with the American flag, the Acadiana Honor Guard, Acadiana Area for Veterans, and special speaker Roland Sanchez. The funeral home is also putting together care packages for veterans at local nursing homes.
In December, the funeral home will participate in Wreaths Across America, a coordinated effort to lay wreaths at more than 2,500 locations, including Arlington National Cemetery. The ceremony will be similar to the Veterans Day event, but will also include the laying of wreaths on graves at the cemetery to remember and honor veterans buried there.
"A lot of veterans, especially those in nursing homes, start to feel like people don't care about them. They struggle with hearing, glasses...feel like they've been let down," said Robert LeBon, Master of Ceremonies, who said the events are meant to "let them know, families know we care about them, we love them, we're not going to let them be forgotten."
If you'd like to help out, LeBon said the funeral home needs donations of wreaths. To do so, you can visit either the funeral home's website or WreathsAcrossAmerica.com.
All events will begin at 9 a.m. For more information on the events, click here.
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