Description
At the highest point on the grounds of Saint Vincent in Unity Township, Pennsylvania, to the west of Basilica, the Monastery, and the buildings that comprise the College and its campus, is the cemetery. It rarely is mentioned in the descriptions of Saint Vincent in contemporary publications and its past role is scarcely mentioned in the historical accounts. Perhaps its presence is taken for granted, at the edge of daily life, undeniable and understated. It appears often as part of the background in aerial photographs of the buildings and grounds of Saint Vincent, just as it lingers in the memory as a place of quiet, reflective walks and a place to enjoy a broader earth-bound perspective of the campus set in the suburban-rural landscape of low rolling hills and the somewhat higher profile of Chestnut Ridge. It may be argued however that the cemetery plays a stronger role in history than may first seem apparent. And it has occupied and still occupies a more important place in the consciousness of many people than some may realize. The purpose of this essay is to explore some of the historical sources and reflect on what one may find in the cemetery as it now exists. The cemetery of course antedates the arrival of the Benedictine monks at Saint Vincent. Indeed, its early existence antedates its current name under the patronage of Saint Vincent de Paul. Its roots were set into the rich earth with the planting of the Catholic Church in Western Pennsylvania. And its growth is inextricably intertwined with the development of Saint Vincent, the life of the Catholic community of Westmoreland County, and the history of the Catholic Church in many dioceses in the United States.
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Written by Father Warren Murrman, O.S.B.
