Sacred Heart of St. Mary Cemetery

17219 Mound Road, Detroit, MI 48212

Gates Close:

• 6:30 pm April–October
• 4:40 pm November–March

Cemetery Rules

Any decorations destroyed, stolen, damaged, or removed for any reason are at your own risk. Winter blankets and wreaths are permitted from October 15 to March 15. Summer decorations permitted from March 15 to October 15 (no stones allowed). All visitors are at own risk when walking on unsettled graves. Lock your car when visiting graves.

Cemetery History

Sweetest Heart of Mary is one of a few parishes in the city of Detroit which has its own cemetery. Given that many of the early parishioners had been excommunicated from the church (for following Father Kolasinski), it was necessary to find an appropriate and acceptable burial ground for their deceased family members. Father Kolasinski initially bought 12.5 acres near Davison and Mound Rds. in what was then “Norris” or North Detroit (Hamtramck Township) and consecrated it himself.

In 1898 when Father Kolasinski died, he was buried in the parish cemetery. Later a mausoleum was built and his remains were transferred to it. In 1902 an additional 10 acres was purchased which extended the cemetery limits to McNichols Rd. In just a short time all the available spaces were sold out. So, in 1910 an additional purchase of land was made south of McNichols Rd. which substantially increased the burial grounds. Burials began in the new section of the cemetery in 1940. In 1986 the acreage on the southern most portion of the cemetery was developed for burials. In January 1989 a fire destroyed the cemetery office and garage but they have since been rebuilt.

It is believed that there are over 10,800 persons buried in the cemetery but the exact number is unknown. Many records were lost for several time spans during the late 1890s and early 1900s due to fire/flood at the church offices. Each Memorial Day a Mass is held on the cemetery grounds and members of the AmVets Post 9 participate in a special ceremony honoring the men and women who lost their lives serving our country. On All Souls Day, members of the Men’s Club and parishioners visit the cemetery and pray for all those who find their resting place in the Sacred Heart Cemetery.

A note for genealogists: Sacred Heart cemetery was orginally called “Greenwood.” Many death certificates will report it as such. The Polish Genealogy Society of Michigan has made a project of trying to catalog the gravestones in this cemetery. The project is still ongoing. If you’d like to volunteer your help contact a PGSM board member at www.pgsm.org.