Holy Trinity Cemetery

Guidelines (pdf) | Cemetery Flyer (pdf) | Contact: Gary Smith, Director garyfsmith927@gmail.com

Holy Trinity Cemetery

Our annual fall clean-up is underway!

In preparation for the upcoming winter season, we need to remove all flowers from graves as soon as possible in order to maintain a neat, safe, and respectful sacred ground for our loved ones.

If you would like to help with the fall cleanup, please contact Gary Smith 662-3038 or gfsmith927@gmail.com

Thank you

Envelopes

The cemetery committee is very grateful to all parishioners who are using the bi-yearly cemetery envelopes or online to contribute. The money is used for the upkeep of our cemetery.

If you did not receive a cemetery care envelope, you can find them across from the Parish Office and at the Welcome Desk. Maintaining a final resting place for loved ones is a significant, never-ending job, and your financial support is deeply appreciated.

Thanks to your generous contributions to our cemetery, we were able to do the following work this year:

  • The base of the cross was painted.
  • The new topsoil enclosure was stained.
  • Two water faucets were repaired.
  • A large spruce tree in section A was removed.
  • We purchased a water/fire proof safe to store all cemetery records.

Unfortunately, on September 4th, an EF1 tornado formed north of Salt Road near Route 104 with estimated wind speeds exceeding 85 mph. This tornado, just a short distance from Holy Trinity, caused significant tree damage in our cemetery.

Our faithful cemetery volunteers completed part of the cleanup; however, we had to hire a landscaper to remove three large tree limbs and haul away 8 truckloads of debris. Three trees are now compromised and will need to be taken down. All this has caused significant and unexpected costs. We are thankful for your continued support as we move forward in maintaining our loved one’s final resting place.

Important Cemetery Reminders

  • Please dispose of dead flowers, leaves, potted plants and any other waste in the baskets located throughout the cemetery. If the baskets are not available, please take debris home or leave it next to a water spigot.
  • Please keep the boundaries of the cemetery clear of all debris and waste. We require drainage ditches on three sides of the cemetery to keep it as dry as possible. Please help keep the ditches clear.
  • If you bring a dog while visiting the cemetery, it must be leashed at all times. Dogs must stay on the roads at all times. Dogs are not permitted to walk on graves. Please avoid this practice. It is absolutely required and necessary to clean up after your dog in the cemetery.

The cemetery committee is grateful to all parishioners who are using the bi-yearly cemetery envelopes (or online giving). The money is used for the upkeep of our cemetery. If you would like an envelope, you can find them on the desk across from the Parish Office and at the Welcome Desk in the Gathering Space. Maintaining a final resting place for loved ones is a significant, never ending job, and your financial support is deeply appreciated.

If you have questions or would like to volunteer please contact Gary Smith at garyfsmith927@gmail.com

The Holy Trinity cemetery association was created on October 25th, 1865. In 1866 land was purchased north of the church. The first burial was in February, 1867 when Elizabeth Miller, age 36, was laid to rest. Over the years our cemetery has seen several expansions. Recently a formal entranceway was built. Our latest addition is a Sacred Heart statue and benches – a perfect spot to view the entire campus, pray and remember those who were part of Holy Trinity parish over the last 163 years. The cemetery is now 6 acres of land with over 2,000 burials including 3 priests and 4 deacons. How blessed we are to have this holy ground.

The upkeep of this sacred land is ongoing. If you have knowledge of landscaping or masonry skills or just like working outdoors, we could use your help, especially during spring and fall clean up. If you are interested or have questions contact Gary Smith garyfsmith927@gmail.com | 585-662-3038.

Holy Trinity New Statue

Cemetery Rules

For those who have loved ones buried at Holy Trinity, we want to remind you that we have 3 regulations signs in the cemetery. If you are uncertain of what you can plant call the Parish Office @265-1616.

Please observe the below regulations.

  • No trinkets, pinwheels, shepherd hooks; no flags unless military.
  • Artificial flowers are not permitted
  • No shrubs, bushes or trees of any type are permitted on the grave.
  • No creeping vines or lily of the valley.
  • Mulch, pulverized shells, glass or plastic on graves, are not permitted.
  • No pots (flowers need to be planted in the ground).

The cemetery reserves the right to remove any or all of the above so that the area conforms to the landscaping plans for our grounds. All of the above will be removed.

If you are uncertain regarding plantings, please call the Parish Office @265-1616.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Vase for flowers in Section K of the cemetery

No plantings of flowers are allowed in Section K of the cemetery. However, in front of the Sacred Heart Statue is a ground level vase for cut flowers. Anyone can bring flowers and put them in this vase.

The benches on either side of the statue offer a beautiful view of the cemetery and church. Come and visit this area of the cemetery to pray and reflect.

Cemetery Committee

Our Cemetery Committee meets once a month at Holy Trinity. The goal of the committee is to enhance, maintain and preserve the beauty of our cemetery. A special thank you to the following parishioners who are on this committee.

Don Basch
Tom Bushwood
James Coon
Cathy Imes
John Kehrig

Darlene Krenzer
Mary Ann Spinelli
Pam Schultz
Helen Sleeman
Gary Smith, Cemetery Director

Cemetery Care

Bishop McQuaid

A couple of times a year we update our parish family on Holy Trinity Cemetery. Our cemetery was consecrated on October 25, 1870 by Bishop McQuaid of Rochester.

As with everything else, the need to maintain our cemetery is a timeless task. Over the last few years we have removed, trimmed and planted many trees.

Our cemetery committee continues to make improvements along with the normal routine care. All financial help is through the purchase of graves, grave openings, memorials, and the Cemetery Care envelope which is in the offertory packets twice a year. (April and October). The Church’s finances are separate from the cemetery.

Genealogy Research:

Find a Grave
Provides an extensive list of burials at Holy Trinity Cemetery. The website is a free resource provided by Ancestry.com

Holy Trinity’s Cemetery Mission Statement

We are Holy Trinity’s Catholic Faith Cemetery Committee blessed with the joy of God’s love and in conjunction with the Diocese of Rochester and are committed to prepare and maintain an environment appropriate for the peaceful visitation and prayer for our parishioners honoring their deceased family members and friends.

Blessing of the Graves: September 22

Sunday, September 22, Holy Trinity Church was honored to have Bishop Salvatore Matano preside over the 10:30 am. Mass.

After Mass the Bishop dedicated our new entrance to the cemetery and then proceeded to the Celtic Cross and the Memorial to the Unborn to bless those who have gone before us and for all those lives lost to abortion.

It was a beautiful day and meant so much to those who participated.

Many thanks to the Bishop and Fr. Tim for celebrating this special event.

With grateful appreciation also to the Cemetery Committee for their dedicated time and effort in maintaining and beautifying our cemetery!