GREENBURY - To celebrate and remember just why people do not labor on Labor Day, about 120 people gathered at the Castle Green Grotto near Heckscherville for the annual Labor Day Mass.
Located along the Minersville-Heckscherville Highway, the grotto is maintained by local residents to be a place of rest and prayer.
The Mass was dedicated to the late Ann Barone, who was a member of the committee that maintains the grotto.
The annual outdoor Mass was started to remember "all who came" to the Castle Green Chapel, which was located at the site, and to honor those who labored in anthracite mining.
The Rev. Paul L. Rothermel, pastor of the Most Blessed Trinity Roman Catholic Parish, Tremont, celebrated the Mass and during Monday's homily, he talked about why Labor Day is celebrated.
"When I was a child, I found it a bit ironic that we didn't work on Labor Day, a day meant to celebrate the value of work," he said. "It seemed to me that somehow we were betraying the meaning of the day by our preference for inactivity. I was missing the point. You know how children are. Even a few adults somehow miss the point."
Rothermel said that people "don't live to work," for if they did, then they would work on Labor Day.
Instead, people "work in order to live" and so "cease work on Labor Day in order to celebrate all aspects of life," including the joy of having a job and caring for a family with the earnings of that job.
"All aspects of life, we celebrate," Rothermel said.
Continuing the Labor Day tradition, members of the Ancient Order of Hibernians and Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians John F. Kennedy Division 2 marched along the highway to the grotto before the Mass.
The Mass attracted people from all over the county, including some local legislators.
"It brings the whole community together," Schuylkill County Commissioner George Halcovage said. "It's neat to see faith and community come together. We're proud."
Louise Chicora, Branch Township, was also attending the service Monday.
"We come every year," she said. "We get disappointed when it gets rained out. It's beautiful and they put a lot of work into it. It's a very relaxing time."
Refreshments were also served after Mass.