Bishop Joseph R. Cistone of the Saginaw Diocese delivers a homily on Memorial Day at the Calvary Cemetery in Kawkawlin.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

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Bishop Cistone of Saginaw Marks Memorial Day with Mass at Calvary Cemetery

Veterans Groups Honor Dead at 23 Cemeteries, Memorial Sites

May 31, 2010
By: Dave Rogers

Crowd of worshippers stands in the rain outside the Calvary Cemetery Chapel during the bishop's celebration of the mass.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Dee Dee Wacksman tells observers at the Memorial Day observance at Pine Ridge Cemetery about the origin of the day with women in the South after the Civil War.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

The Roman Catholic Bishop of the Saginaw Diocese, Joseph R. Cistone, drew a crowd of about 100 of the faithful to mass at Calvary Cemetery, Kawkawlin, on Memorial Day.

Many of the worshippers stood in the rain with umbrellas as the bishop celebrated mass in a memorial building at the cemetery.

The bishop noted the fact that the civil holiday fell on the feast of the Visitation this year.

He also recalled the honored dead from the nation's wars who, he said, "have sacrificed all that we may live in freedom."

His own father, Bishop Cistone said, served in World War II but would never talk about his experiences, immediately changing the subject if it arose.

Several local priests, including Rev. Patrick O'Connor, of St. John Parish, Essexville, were in attendance, standing in the rain along with the crowd.

The bishop, who came here a year ago from Philadelphia, will lead a travel group to his home town in October.

The Bishop on Sunday dedicated the first Catholic cemetery in Frankenmuth, at the Blessed Trinity Church at 958 E. Tuscola.

Teams of veteran honor guards and firing squads from the Bay County Veterans Council conducted services in honor of their dead comrades at 23 sites from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday.

Seven local veterans organizations were involved: Viet Nam Veterans of America Chapter 494; Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6950; The American Legion Posts 18 and 249; Military Order of the Purple Heart Chapter 514; AMVETS Post 22; and Polish Legion of American Veterans Post 162.

Meanwhile, the Bay County Veterans Council staged a successful fund-raiser for emergency veterans needs, drawing about 250 persons to the State Theatre in Bay City on Sunday afternoon.

The event was a showing of "Detroit-Our Greatest Generation," a 90-minute documentary film produced by Keith Famie about the Motor City's part in World War II production of military goods.

The film featured a retired local school principal, Christine Gavrila, who served as a Marine sergeant during World War II. A native of Detroit, she was in the ordnance service in the Los Angeles area.

Firing squad from the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, U.S. Grant Post No. 56, delivers a salute to dead comrades.Young re-enactor at left is Jonathon McInerney, son of re-enactor Len McInerney of Bay City.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)

Bill Fournier of Bay City tells his grandchildren about the headstone of James J. McCormick and his father, James McCormick, both Civil War veterans. The new stone at left, received recently from the Veterans Administration and installed through the efforts of James Petrimoulx and other volunteers, was dedicated by re-enactors along with another new stone for Thomas Wilson.
(MyBayCity Photo by Dave Rogers)