May 25, 2006 – Toledo, Ohio – Mount Carmel Cemetery will host Memorial Day festivities this Monday, May 29th. The day will begin at 9:30 am with the sixty year old tradition of the “March to the Cemetery” followed by the saying of the rosary at 9:45am, led by Knights of Columbus St. Lawrence Council #4169. The Most Reverend Robert W. Donnelly, Auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Toledo, will lead Mass at 10am. The service will also include military tributes by American Legion Argonne Post 545, Polish Veterans Post 74, Catholic War Veterans Jude Thaddeus Post 1675, and the Buddy Frankowski VFW Post 5530 as well as a blessing of the new statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel at the famed “Grotto.”

In the mid 1800’s two of Toledo’s oldest cemeteries, located in the heart of the Polish Village began serving as burial places for local Catholics from St. Francis de Sales’ and St. Mary’s Catholic Churches. Separated by only a fence, St. Francis opened in 1845 and St. Mary’s in 1854.

However, in 1936, due to rising costs and maintenance concerns, Bishop Karl J. Alter announced that the two cemeteries would be merged to become one. Major renovations resulted in a rededication of the cemetery on October 1, 1939 including the renaming of the cemetery as Mount Carmel.

Sixty-seven years later, nearly 10,000 people rest there. On this endearing and sacred ground can be found countless war veterans, the young, old, infants, as well as priests, brothers, and sisters from several religious orders.
The tradition and unwavering dedication to Mount Carmel continues today, as evidenced by many recent improvements and upgrades; several of which will be commemorated this Memorial Day.

For more details about Memorial Day services sponsored by Catholic Cemeteries you can visit www.cathcemtoledo.org or you can reach Jack Hoeflinger, Director of Catholic Cemeteries, at 419-531-5747.

 

The Diocese of Toledo, established April 15, 1910 encompasses 8222 square miles in a mixture of urban and rural areas that spans 19 counties across Northwest Ohio, serving 306,532 Catholics. The diocese includes Allen, Crawford, Defiance, Erie, Fulton, Hancock, Henry, Huron, Lucas, Ottawa, Paulding, Putnam, Richland, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, Williams, Wood and Wyandot counties.
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