On the frigid afternoon of Dec. 13, Father (LTC) Christopher Butera, Pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus, Bath, and Division Chaplain, 28th Infantry Division, Pennsylvania Army National Guard, opened the Wreaths Across America ceremony at Resurrection Cemetery in Allentown with a serene and hopeful prayer in remembrance of those who have served our nation.
The ceremony at Resurrection Cemetery has taken place for over a decade now and continues to be a source of hope for many, but especially those who have family buried at the cemetery.
Barbara Shucavhe, whose husband John Frank Shucavhe, Army Special Forces soldier Green Beret, is buried at Resurrection, brings her grown sons to the event yearly. When asked what the ceremony means to her and her family, she said, “This event is fantastic, and I thank the Knights of Columbus and everybody else who sponsors it, because our veterans filled us with hope for our country, and the Lord fills us with hope for Christmas.”
She shared that they come there to pray for the veterans and thank them “for everything they did for us.”
Daniel Spieker, Troop 150 Scoutmaster, continues to bring both his son, Adam, and other scouts to participate in the event, and feels that the event allows a special opportunity to continue to engage in the Corporal Work of Mercy “to bury the dead.”
“It's just icing on the cake that this takes place at our Resurrection Cemetery. I have my grandmother, uncle, and aunt here, and then, you know, with my grandfather, who's a veteran here,” explained Spieker. “Honoring [my grandfather] and the many other veterans who served when they were alive brings a lot of closure to me.”
Spieker’s grandfather, Gregory Oswald Sr., served in the Army during the Korean War.
Daniel’s son, Adam Spieker, an eighth grader at St. Joseph the Worker School, Orefield, said he appreciates joining his father Daniel to participate in the event. “I am a big history buff, and I watch a lot of war movies, but I believe I understand what this ceremony means because my grandfather and some of my past relatives served in WWII and the Korean War.”
Adam would like to see others join the event, because he believes it is a “good cause.”
The concept for Wreaths Across America began in 1992 when Morrill Worcester, a businessman from Maine, was inspired to send excess wreaths from his company to Arlington National Cemetery to honor and place on the graves of those who have served our nation. Slowly, this wreath-laying tradition, remembering those who have served our nation, began to spread, and eventually in 2007 the Wreaths Across America non-profit began.
The motto became “Remember. Honor. Teach.” It stands for “Remember the fallen. Honor those who serve. Teach the next generation the value of freedom.”
This year there were more than 5,600 participating locations across the United States.
John Fitzpatrick, former Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, continues to stand at the helm of organizing and fundraising for this occasion. In recent years, Jason Andrews, a Project Manager at St. Luke’s University Health Network, joined the team and helps Fitzpatrick both fundraise and emcee the event.
Jane George, wife of the late Deacon (Lt. Col.) Von George, U.S. Army, shared the impact of Wreaths Across America on her family. They have attended the local ceremony since it began.
Many other parishioners came from across the Diocese of Allentown to participate in this honorable event.
By Annaleigh Gidosh
Photo by Ed Koskey.
