Naperville church to hold outdoor Memorial Day Mass

Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church will host its annual Memorial Day Mass at 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 30, at Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery, 911 E. North Ave.

The Rev. John McGeean will preside over the Mass at the cemetery's Mausoleum of the Holy Apostles. In the event of inclement weather, the Mass will move to the church, 36 N. Ellsworth St.

"When I was a kid this was called 'Decoration Day'," says McGeean, who is serving as the parish administrator until Father Brad Baker, pastor, returns from sabbatical. "It was a day you decorated the graves of your loved ones to honor those who have gone before us."

Rev. McGeean's homily will focus on the military, and a ceremony hosted by local veterans' associations will follow.

Judd Kendall Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3873, Naperville American Legion Post 43, and the Naperville Municipal Band will resume their regular Memorial Day observance activities on Monday, May 30.

The day's events will begin with a memorial service behind city hall at the Commander Dan Shanower Memorial, followed by additional memorial services at various military memorials around Naperville, including Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery at 9 a.m. The Memorial Day Parade will resume this year, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Saints Peter and Paul was founded in 1846 and is the oldest established parish in DuPage County - currently one of the most active in the Diocese of Joliet.

Throughout its history, the parish has been a vibrant and vital part of the Naperville community through dozens of ministries that focus on parish life, worship, evangelization, and Christian service. Today, Saints Peter and Paul School educates over 475 students in preschool through eighth grade, and the parish serves over 4,000 families. Its campus includes seven buildings - including its stunning Gothic edifice with bell tower - on a seven-acre campus in the heart of Naperville, a Chicago suburb with a population over 145,000. Visit sspeterandpaul.net.