A single rose to pay tribute to Msgr. Boeke

Tuesday is All Saints Day: A Holy Day of Obligation

Holy days of obligation are feast days on which Catholics are required to attend Mass and to avoid (to the extent that they are able) servile work


Ceremony at Holy Cross Cemetery to honor Msgr. Boeke
Two 92-year-old parishioners of St. Paul will lay a rose on the grave of Msgr. Clement H. Boeke on All Saints Day, the 50th anniversary of his death. Msgr. Boeke served as pastor for 37 years—the longest of any of the eight pastors of the parish.

Mary Factor, who will lay the rose, and her husband Bernie have been members of St. Paul since 1927 and Msgr. Boeke was a frequent visitor in their home.

The ceremony will take place after the 8:30 a.m. Mass on All Saints Day. Msgr. Boeke’s grave is in Holy Cross Cemetery on Waterloo Road. It is near the cemetery office. There will be someone there to show you the location.

Msgr. Boeke served as pastor of St Paul from September 8, 1924 until his death on All Saints Day on November l, 1961 just 13 days before what would have been his 75th birthday on November 14. He served for 37 years, the longest of any pastor.

During his pastorate, a rectory was built in 1925 and the $80,000 eight-room school in 1928. In 1946 a $275,000 north wing, including a cafeteria, was added to the school and five years later a third floor costing $125,000 was added. In 1958 the Blessed Sacrament Chapel with classrooms above and a social hall (now Boeke Hall) was added for $350,000.

His portrait at right was brought up from Boeke Hall into the church this week.

See the lengthy obituary of Msgr. Boeke which was published on page 1 of the Akron Beacon Journal on the day he died.

See a photo of the tombstone of Msgr. Boeke.