Nancy Weil has introduced laughter yoga, drum circles and the Heavenly Hearts Choir into her work as director of grief support services with the Catholic Cemeteries in the Buffalo Diocese.

Her boss, Carmen Colao, let Weil run with the ideas to help people work through mourning.

The latest pitch gave him pause. But Colao has watched in amazement this summer as visitors to Mount Olivet Cemetery in the Town of Tonawanda have pondered these words on two blackboards: “Before I die I want to _______.”

Hopes, dreams and prayers have spilled on to the boards in colored chalk.

Last April, Pope Francis announced an extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy saying he wanted to make it evident that the Church’s mission is to be a witness of compassion. Mercy is not only shown by God, it should also be shown by us.

The Holy Year will provide a time for the faithful to reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Our Catholic Cemeteries are an integral part of the corporal work of mercy of burying the dead.