In
Southern Maryland, in a little place called Newtowne, is the oldest Catholic Church
in continuous use in the original thirteen colonies. Named for Saint Francis Xavier,
the parish was founded in 1640. If my memory is correct, the current church dates
back to 1731 and was painstakingly restored about 25 years ago. During that process,
we were surprised to find that two Jesuit priests had been buried in the vestibule.
As was the custom, their heads were laid to rest on the small altar stone these
missionary priests had brought with them as they traveled from place to place
offering Holy Mass.
Although
their burial place had become obscured with the passage of centuries, they were
nonetheless inscribed in the memory of the Church. When this venerable church
was re-consecrated following its restoration, the homilist spoke of these priests
and all the generations of deceased parishioners who had died as "a cloud of witnesses"
(Hebrews 12:1) with whom we were joined in prayer.
Although
the names of so many are lost to history, they are never lost from the memory
of the Church. For in the celebration of the Mass "earth unites with Heaven" as
we proclaim God's praises with all the saints and angels. So too, in the celebration
of the Mass and Sacraments, we are joined with those yet in Purgatory who, with
us in the Church on earth, continue to do penance so as to become "capable of
Christ, capable of God, and thus capable of unity with the whole Communion of
Saints" (see Johann Auer and Joseph Ratzinger, Dogmatic Theology: Eschatology,
p. 230 ff.).
We
are approaching the Feast of All Souls (November 2), when the Church remembers
the dead who are still undergoing the final transformation which God's mercy makes
possible. It is the fire of God's love that burns away our dross and re-forms
us into vessels of divine joy. Priests throughout the diocese will be offering
Mass on All Souls' Day and throughout the month of November, asking that those
who have not yet been fully transformed may speedily enter upon the joy of the
Kingdom of God. Knowing our own weaknesses, most of us find it reassuring that
God's mercy provides for this final process of purification, and that in the Church's
liturgy every such soul is long remembered and prayed for.
Preceding
All Souls' Day is All Saints' Day. This Holy Day of Obligation (November
1) is a favorite with people of all ages but especially children. It's a day
to dramatize famous saints but also to remember the un-canonized saints in Heaven.
Again, we find deep consolation in this feast. We are a Church with more than
a billion members backed up by generation upon generation who preceded us in faith.
Only God knows all the names of these saints, yet as our worship is joined to
Christ's, these untold generations are not forgotten. They are remembered and
recognized as gratefully we accept the teaching of our faith that we worship in
union with them.
Like
the Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Mother Church keeps in her memory the names of all
her children who have died. And this is reflected in the way we worship and in
our burial practices. A few nights ago, I was speaking with a gentleman who, years
ago, had served Mass at Saint Augustine Cathedral. He recounted serving a funeral
Mass for a man who had neither money nor loved ones. He died, all alone in the
world. Contrary to custom, the priest invited the altar servers to accompany him
to the cemetery. There, at Saint Augustine Cemetery, this poor man and many others
like him received Christian burial, together with parishioners who were known
and loved by all. These, too, are long remembered and cherished by the Church.
In recent days,
it has been said that those buried in Saint Augustine Cemetery in Bridgeport are
"long forgotten." The claim has been made that this cemetery has been neglected
and that those buried therein are no longer respected. On this page you will see
for yourself pictures of Saint Augustine Cemetery today, and a commentary by Ray
Capo (below) describes both the care given
to this venerable cemetery and also the challenges we face in doing so.
Aside
from the sensationalism and inaccuracies of media stories, Saint Augustine Cemetery
is very old and in a very tough part of Bridgeport where vandalism is always a
threat, day and night. Faithfully, every two weeks, the cemetery crew mows, trims
around the head stones, and removes the trash and litter that has accumulated.
We have sought to preserve the old sandstone grave markers, knowing that if they
were set upright they would either crumble or be knocked over again by vandals.
Over the years, we've fixed the fence and the gate innumerable times, only to
have them broken again.
It's
frustrating for all of us that this part of Bridgeport has deteriorated so badly
that it is almost impossible to escape the destructiveness that is so evident
throughout this neighborhood. This does not mean we will stop trying to maintain
this historic cemetery.
On
the contrary, we're redoubling our efforts, even as the Church remains an enormous
force for good throughout the city of Bridgeport and far beyond. Indeed, few organizations
are doing more in the disadvantaged neighborhood of Connecticut's largest city
than are the parishes, schools, and charitable institutions of the diocese.
Those
buried in this cemetery, like all the Church's beloved dead, are far from forgotten.
They are remembered in the heart of the Church. They are prayed for and cherished
every time Mass is celebrated and the dead are commemorated. Their names are not
lost, even those who died so many years ago and whose families are no longer known.
As we enter upon
this season of remembrance, may I suggest that each of us makes it a point to
visit the burial places of our loved ones there to pray for the happy repose of
their immortal souls.
May
I also suggest that we participate in the practice of having Masses said for friends
and loved ones who have died. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we can continue
to remember and to care for our beloved dead in and through the redeeming love
of Christ. It is wonderful to have keepsakes of the deceased and to hand on our
memories of them to succeeding generations. It is also important that we maintain
well their burial places out of respect and love.
But
the greatest act of love and remembrance we can offer them is to remember them
in our prayers. We should pray not only for those whom we knew in this life but
for all the beloved dead, confident that our prayers can benefit even those who
hail from another time and another place. That is how no one is forgotten.
Eternal
rest grant unto them O, Lord
and
let perpetual light shine upon them.
May they rest in peace!
Editor's
note: Earlier this month, two articles and several letters in a certain Bridgeport
newspaper painted an unflattering and inaccurate picture of one of the oldest
Catholic cemeteries in the Diocese of Bridgeport, Saint Augustine Cemetery. Ray
Capo, director of Catholic cemeteries, submitted the following letter to the editor
to clarify the situation and express the truth. We share the letter here for the
benefit of those who seek the facts but cannot always find them in print.
October
11, 2007
Dear
Newspaper Editor:
The
articles by your reporter and photographer on Saint Augustine Cemetery did not
give an accurate account of the facts or the history of care for this sacred ground.
The subsequent Letters to the Editor reflected the sensationalism of the writing.
As a result, visitors to Saint Augustine's might be surprised to see that it is
anything but junk-filled.
I'd
like to set the record straight, and share information that I did give to the
reporter (I never spoke to the photographer) but which did not make her final
story.
The Diocese
of Bridgeport cares for all its Cemeteries,
those still active and open, and those which have been closed to burials for many
years. For "inactive" cemeteries like Saint Augustine's, our maintenance crews
visit regularly to mow the grass, trim around the headstones, and pick up the
trash. This is done every two weeks during the spring and summer months, and every
month during the winter.
This
work is, frankly, discouraging, because as soon as trash is removed, it seems
to pile up all over again. Our records, for example, document the removal of an
old mattress, and now another has returned. We have removed that one, too.
The
same is true with fencing and gates. The letter writers have the mistaken impression
that Saint Augustine's is not fenced. On the contrary, it is fully fenced and
gated, and a sign at the entrance indicates it is a cemetery. But it is not a
public park. None of our cemeteries are. It should not be used as a shortcut or
as a haven for illegal activity.
However,
as soon as we repair the fence or close the gates, they are torn down or forced
open. Too many people use the property for purposes other than paying respect
to the deceased.
Do
we wish we could do more? Yes. But the Church in the inner city faces the twin
realities of neighborhood change and vandalism. This is not a new problem, but
decades old, and solutions will not be found until all parties - the neighborhood,
the city, the police, and so forth - come together to improve the neighborhood,
together.
This
brings me to the headstones. Saint Augustine's dates back more than 100 years.
The headstones which are lying flat (and have been lying flat for decades) are
old, and many are made of sandstone, which crumbles upon the touch. Righting the
headstones, as the reporter and others suggest we do, could destroy them and certainly
make them susceptible to vandalism. Their current state is not a form of disrespect
but, rather, a form of protection.
Can
we do better? Yes. Are we neglecting sacred ground and dishonoring the memory
of the deceased as your newspaper implies? Absolutely not!
We
will repair the fence, again, and close the gates. We will continue to mow the
grass, trim around the headstones, and remove the trash, as we have done for decades.
But we ask for greater understanding and respect from the neighbors and more support
from the city and the police. We promise to continue maintaining our property
to the best of our ability, as a good neighbor should.
One
final word. Volunteers have offered to help with cleanup. We are grateful for
their interest, but this is neither possible nor practical, given the potential
for accidents. Our maintenance crews are dedicated and hard working and more than
up to the task.
But
we share the concern of all for the preservation of consecrated ground, and we
will continue to look for ways to ensure its history and sense of respect for
those who came before us.
Ray
Capo
Director
of Catholic Cemeteries, Diocese of Bridgeport
