Support Our Historic Holy Ground

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 current Church building, which was dedicated in 1851. St. Mary’s Cemetery continues to serve parishioners, area residents and their loved ones.

The parish could use your help in honoring our cemetery and its priceless legacy.

Like many cemeteries in Western New York 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 financial issues, as challenges stem from lower revenue streams. Among contributing factors are:

• More and more people are choosing cremation, which costs less. Cremation is a relatively new option for Catholics.
• Maintenance and upkeep costs continue to rise. Currently, approximately 1,000 tombstones in the St. Mary’s cemetery are in need of repair. The costs of plots purchased decades ago simply have not kept up with inflation.
• Additional ongoing expenses include mowing and landscaping, snow plowing and insurance.

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