Mass at St. John Nepomucene Cemetery canceled

St. John Nepomucene Cemetery, just west of Fox River Grove, has canceled its annual Labor Day Mass this year because of COVID-19 restrictions.

St. John Nepomucene is a cemetery first established in 1867 by a group of Catholic immigrants to northern Illinois, according to a history provided by the cemetery.

Every year, there is a Labor Day Mass at St. John's for the people buried there, but because of the crowd the event typically draws, social distancing would not be possible. More than 50 people typically gather within the chapel and more than 100 outside of it.

"Hopefully, we will once again be able to have Mass next year," said Lynn Stasenka, secretary for St. John Nepomucene Cemetery.