Every autumn, the time of year when plastic “gravestones” decorate front yards and commercials promote the newest scary films, Catholics congregate graveside, embracing the “spooky” as sacred in the observance of All Souls’ Day.
This year, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre will celebrate the annual All Souls’ Day Mass at Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Road, on Nov. 3 at 11 a.m. The Mass will be offered for all of the deceased members of the archdiocese.
A Catholic cemetery is ‘considered an extension of the parish ministries because it’s a sacred place where those who, at one point, gathered together as a parish community to pray and worship, now they are together in death, awaiting the resurrection of the body.’
— Javier Fajardo, executive director
But the Catholic Church doesn’t just acknowledge the sacredness of cemeteries one day a year. For Catholics, cemeteries serve as constant reminders of the “belief in the resurrection,” said Javier Fajardo, executive director of Catholic Cemeteries, in a recent interview.
A Catholic cemetery is “considered an extension of the parish ministries because it’s a sacred place where those who, at one point, gathered together as a parish community to pray and worship, now they are together in death, awaiting the resurrection of the body.”
Within the Archdiocese of Louisville, there are four archdiocesan Catholic cemeteries: Calvary, St. John, St. Louis and St. Michael.
Catholic Cemeteries also provides “support and guidance” to the 40-plus parish-operated cemeteries throughout the archdiocese, said Fajardo.
The cemeteries, which are often filled with “designs and symbols of our Catholic faith,” can be considered “outdoor chapels,” and are “fitting places for private prayer and reflection,” he noted.
He often sees people walking in the cemetery, holding a rosary in their hand, he said.
More than 156,600 persons have been buried in the four archdiocesan cemeteries — 58,000 at Calvary, 8,600 at St. John, 47,000 at St. Louis and 43,000 at St. Michael.
Calvary Cemetery, 1600 Newburg Road, is the newest and largest of the four cemeteries. Spanning more than 200 acres, it was established in 1921 and houses the archdiocesan office for Catholic Cemeteries. The property also includes the former Carmelite Monastery.
The present St. Louis Cemetery, 1167 Barret Avenue, was established in 1867. The first St. Louis Cemetery, located behind the old St. Louis Church, opened in 1811 and its grave sites were later moved to the present cemetery. The 43-acre property was originally designated as the Irish Catholic cemetery.
St. John Cemetery, located at 26th and Duncan streets in Portland, had its first burial in 1851. The nine-acre cemetery was first known as “Saint Mary Cemetery.”
St. Michael Cemetery, 1300 Ellison Avenue, also was established in 1851. The 48-acre cemetery was originally designated as a German Catholic cemetery.
Visitors to the cemeteries may also note the presence of religious orders and community leaders.
Calvary Cemetery includes the burial sites of Archbishop Thomas C. Kelly, Archbishop Thomas McDonough, Archbishop John Floersh and Bishop Charles Maloney, as well as the presence of the Sisters of Mercy, Resurrectionist Priests, Order of Carmelite Friars, Carmelite Sisters and Xaverian Brothers.
St. Louis Cemetery includes the graves of Xaverian Brothers, Sisters of St. Frances, Sisters of Mercy and the Little Sisters of the Poor. It is also the resting place of 1,630 Black Catholics, buried in unmarked graves between 1867 and 1937, including James Madison Smith Sr. and Catherine “Kitty” Smith, a couple recognized as agents in the Underground Railroad. Bishop Denis O’Donaghue, William Keely, James Gaffney and Mary Narcissa Frederick are also buried here.
St. Michael Cemetery includes lots for Franciscan Priests, Ursuline Sisters, Sisters of St. Frances and the Sisters of Notre Dame.
In addition to All Souls Day Masses, Calvary Cemetery hosts other events, such as the Lighting of the Tree of Remembrance Ceremony, a monthly Infant Prayer Service and the Stations of the Cross during Lent.
The four archdiocesan cemeteries are open for visitation daily. For a list of parish cemeteries, visit www.archlou.org/archdiocese-of-louisville-parish-cemeteries.
