Montclair Church Unveils Memorial For COVID-19 Victims

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A new memorial site at a church in Montclair is giving people a place to pray for those who died during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The monument on Munn Street outside Immaculate Conception Church in Montclair – one of the first of its kind in North Jersey – is intended to be a place to pray for people who died during the pandemic, according to the Archdiocese of Newark.

The Rev. Benny Prado, pastor of Immaculate Conception Church, said the memorial will help people to “reflect daily on the beauty and preciousness of earthly life” – while also encouraging spiritual reflection.

The grief from the pandemic has been immense, the archdiocese noted:

“At the time Essex County stopped issuing daily coronavirus reports in May, Montclair had a total of 9,389 recorded COVID cases and 93 COVID-related deaths since the start of the pandemic. On a global scale, COVID-19 is responsible for 6,978,175 total deaths as of November, according to the World Health Organization.”

Many family members of grieving Montclair families have already visited the memorial, including several who attended a recent blessing ceremony alongside Archdiocese of Newark auxiliary bishop Manuel Cruz, the vicar for Essex County.

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