|
SEPT 2007 CONTENTS Catholic Cemetery Sunday Nov. 4
Memorial Masses 2007 Memorial Masses are celebrated for all those interred in Albany Diocesan Cemeteries. The names of those persons who have been interred in our cemeteries within the past three months are recorded in the Mass program. Remaining Masses for 2007 are listed below. All masses begin at 9:00 AM in the Mausoleum Chapel. St. Agnes Cemetery: Sat, October 13 Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery: St. Mary’s Cemetery:
|
The gates at the entrance to Saint Agnes Cemetery as they appeared in 1867.
Dear Friends,
Greetings!
I am writing this month to invite you to the commemoration of the consecration of Saint Agnes Cemetery. Saint Agnes Cemetery was consecrated in 1867. It is a jewel of the Albany Diocese and the Capital District.
At the time of the consecration there were over 1000 people in attendance at the ceremony. Descriptions from the newspapers said, “ …thousands of spectators lined the grassy declivity from the platform down towards the Troy road. . . . .”
We welcome all of our friends to join us on Sunday, September 30 at 1:00 p.m. for a procession and Mass. We would love to have that kind of attendance again.
I would also like to take this opportunity to let you know that preservation and restoration efforts are being developed for the older sections of our cemeteries. If you can help, please contact me. Donations of any size are appreciated. Remember, previous generations made the effort to build this sacred space. . . .we need to preserve it.
Finally, I would like to thank our hardworking grounds crew for their efforts this summer. Our cemeteries are looking as fine as I have ever seen them. The men and women who work on the grounds deserve much credit and praise for this result.
As always, please forward this newsletter to anyone you think would benefit from the articles. There is also a place where you can provide an email address of interested parties. The newsletters will continue to be available on our website as well (www.rcdacemeteries.org)
Please send any comments, suggestions or questions to molly.nicol@rcda.org.
Rick Touchette
Rick Touchette, Director of Cemeteries
48 Cemetery Avenue, Menands, NY 12204
(518) 432-4953
The Albany Diocesan Cemetery Office
Cordially Invites you to the
140th Anniversary Celebration and
Commemoration of the Consecration
Of Historic Saint Agnes Cemetery
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Procession beginning at 1:00 p.m.
Mass at 1:20
Saint Agnes Cemetery
48 Cemetery Avenue
Menands, NY
Bishop Howard Hubbard will celebrate the Liturgy
and Blessing of the Cemetery.
A reception will follow the Mass.
All are welcome.
Please R.S.V.P. by September 15, 2007
by calling Molly Nicol at
463-0134 x110 or email molly.nicol@rcda.org
Historic St. Agnes Cemetery . . .
A tour group learns about an elaborate carved Celtic Cross and about Thomas Wansboro, first American officer killed in the Spanish American War.
A Tradition of Faith for 140 YearsOver the 13 weeks of the summer more than 125 people joined us for tours of Historic Saint Agnes Cemetery. Participants in the tour ranged in age from 15 to 93 and came from locations throughout the Capital District and beyond. Interests covered a wide range from general history to symbolism on the monuments to specific questions about Catholic teachings on burial and cremation.
A common theme of discussion during the tours was the importance of preservation and restoration of this historic treasure. Donations from tour groups were gratefully accepted and set aside for these preservation efforts.
If you missed the opportunity to join us for a tour this summer, please consider joining us for a tour this fall. We have teamed with the Albany Aqua Ducks to offer two additional tours dates.
- Thursday, October 18 at 11:00 a.m.
- Sunday, November 4 at 1:00 p.m.
The Albany Aqua Ducks will bring their trolley for the tour. Reservations are required and can be made through the Aqua Ducks office by calling 518-462-3825 or via their website: www.albanyaquaducks.com.
CPR and AED training.
AED TrainingOn August 27th and 28th, twenty-five members of the Albany Diocesan Cemetery staff completed training and recertification in CPR and AED. Kathi Rice, Registered Nurse and certified American Heart Association CPR instructor, brought the tools and equipment to train the staff. After practicing techniques for 2 hours, all staff members passed the test and were certified to perform CPR and use an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
For employee and visitor safety, AED devices are located in the office at each of our main cemeteries; Most Holy Redeemer in Niskayuna, St. Mary’s in Troy, and St. Agnes in Menands.
Catholic Cemetery Sunday Nov 4
The first Sunday in November is traditionally designated as Catholic Cemetery Sunday. Please join us at Saint Agnes Cemetery in Menands, NY for a quiet walk through the landscaped grounds on Sunday, November 4, 2007. Gates will open at 8:00 a.m. Cemetery employees will be available until 3:00 p.m. to help you locate your loved ones. Maps will be provided. Fresh flowers will be available.
The Albany Aqua Ducks will also be conducting a trolley tour of Historic Saint Agnes Cemetery beginning at 1:00 p.m. on November 4. Advanced registration is required for this tour. You can register by calling 518-462-3825. All are welcome.
The process of the general cemetery cleanup plays an important role in the beautification and preservation of the sacred resting place of the faithful departed. The cleanup is not intended to be punitive, but rather as defining an orderly plan of operation, care and permanent maintenance of our sacred space. A general cleanup is conducted twice a year, beginning on or about April 1 and November 1. All decorations are removed and discarded at this time. Lot owners should make sure they remove any decorations they wish to keep prior to these dates.
In addition to the two general cleanups, Christmas decorations are removed and discarded by the cemetery beginning January 15th, weather permitting.
Please call the Cemetery Office if you have any questions or require further information about the general cleanup.
Please visit our website at rcdacemeteries.org for more information on the location of our cemeteries and services offered. This is a great informational tool concerning the twelve cemeteries managed by the Albany Diocesan Cemeteries Office. From a listing of our most recently departed to general information concerning burial options, prices, bronze memorial designs, frequently asked questions, etc., the website provides data of general interest to our families whom we service or to those who are looking for assistance from a Diocesan cemetery. There is a short, colorful video presentation showing several sections of our cemeteries and a very helpful list of support groups sponsored by the Diocese.
If you can’t visit our Cemetery Office in person, visit the website. Either way, please let us know how we can best help you and your family.
If you know a someone who would like to receive the Albany Diocesan Cemetery Newsletter, please send their email address to Rick Touchette at rick.touchette@rcda.org.
If you are no longer interested in receiving this newsletter, please email Rick Touchette at rick.touchette@rcda.org and your name will be removed from the distribution list.
