General News
15 November, 2026
Prayers for departed folk
THE moving sound of ‘Amazing Grace’ drifting across Innisfail Cemetery on sunset, piped by Marc Darveniza, set a reflective tone on 2 November, as close to 80 people from across Christian denominations gathered to remember loved ones who had died and to find comfort in faith, fellowship and prayer.
Pastor Peter Gill, chaplain of the National Servicemen’s Association branch and Innisfail RSL, led the annual All Souls Ecumenical Service, together with Fr Kenneth Lay from the Innisfail/Tully Anglican Church. Also in attendance were local Catholic parish priests Fr Kerry Crowley and Fr Jibin Abraham, highlighting the ecumenical spirit of the gathering.
The service began in the lawn section of Innisfail Cemetery, where prayers were offered for all the faithful departed, particularly those who had died during the past 12 months. Worshippers took part in readings, prayers and a minute’s silence before they joined the candlelight procession from the cemetery to the Innisfail Uniting Church Riverlife Chapel, led by the notes of the piper playing ‘When the Saints Come Marching In’.
There, the service continued with further scripture readings, prayers and hymns.
In his homily, Fr Kenneth Lay reflected on the shared experience of grief and remembrance.
“At a time like this when we gather to remember those who have been a part of our lives, naturally our thoughts can be centred on ourselves. It is our sense of loss and deep pain that is so prominent in our thoughts,” he said.
“We all, Christian and non-Christian alike, feel the shock of death of a family member or friend, no matter how much we are aware of its inevitability.”
Fr Lay reminded those gathered that sorrow is gradually transformed through memory and faith.
“As we continue to grieve the loss of our loved ones, there will be sorrow, but as Jesus says, our sorrow will become joy, our tears will become laughter, as the reality of the loss we have experienced fades and is replaced by the years of memories which are part of the legacy those who have gone before us have left behind.”
Following the service, members of the congregation shared light refreshments and fellowship.
The gathering also highlighted the significance of All Souls Day, observed by the Catholic Church on 2 November, the day after All Saints Day.
It is a day dedicated to praying for all who have died, entrusting them to God’s mercy and the promise of eternal life through the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
For those gathered in Innisfail, the service was a poignant reminder that while death brings sorrow, love endures, memories remain, and faith offers hope beyond the grave.
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