St. Mary’s Cemetery

The St. Mary’s on the Hill campus includes a historic and religious site which dates back to the early 19th century and pre-dates even the Church building, which was dedicated in 1851. St. Mary’s Cemetery recorded its first burial in 1848. Nearly 170 years later, the cemetery continues to serve parishioners, area residents, and their loved ones.

The parish could use your help in honoring our cemetery and keeping alive its precious legacy.

Like many cemeteries in the region and nationwide, St.Mary’s needs financial support and dedicated volunteers who are willing to take care of it well into the 21st century and beyond. By some industry estimates, 75 percent of cemeteries face similar issues, as challenges stem from lower revenue streams.

• More and more people are choosing cremation, a relatively new option in the Catholic Church, which costs less and thus generates less revenue.
• Maintenance and upkeep costs continue to rise. Currently, approximately 1,000 tombstones in St. Mary’s Cemetery are in need of repair. The costs of plots purchased decades ago simply have not kept pace with inflation over the years.
• Ongoing expenses include mowing and landscaping, snow plowing, and insurance.

Would you be interested in volunteering for upcoming efforts and initiatives to support St. Mary’s Cemetery? Please contact Cemetery Director Daniel Rinow at (716) 683-6445, extension 34, or [email protected].