Reverend Christian Johnston, former pastor at St. Therese Parish in Wayland and SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish at Gun Lake, was featured in a recent story broadcast by WNDU-TV, South Bend, Ind.
Pastor Johnston, who joined St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Niles in 2016, has been restoring broken pieces of headstones and graves at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Niles.
”I thought something had to be done in this cemetery,” Johnston told WNDU-TV. “It had been neglected for a few years. I started cleaning the stones and looked at many You Tube videos.”
Johnston estimated that he has cleaned more than 50 stones and put 10 back together.
”I think about what I would want done for myself or my family,” Johnston added. “People forget. No one has been buried here in 80 years so people forget the people that are out here.
“You can’t spot the cemetery behind me from the main road but it’s a hidden gem with a lot of history. Most everyone buried here is an immigrant.
“Madeline Bertrand was buried in the far corner and was the wife of Joseph Bertrand.”
