Diocese hires new director for cemetery system

By Tanya Connor | The Catholic Free Press

The new head of the diocese’s cemetery system started the job on Feb. 5, bringing with him experience from his parish, St. John, Guardian of Our Lady in Clinton.
George DiLorenzo, director of the Diocesan Cemeteries Office, was facilities manager for St. John’s in Clinton, and superintendent of its cemetery, for more than nine years. (St. John’s Cemetery is actually on Parker Road in Lancaster.)
It was bittersweet leaving that job, which he loved, last Friday, Mr. DiLorenzo said. His pastor, Father James S. Mazzone, had told him the diocese was looking for someone to oversee its system of 14 cemeteries in Worcester and several towns. The position had been vacant the past few months since James F. Brasco, the previous director, left in November.
“I was torn about losing George to this larger responsibility,” Father Mazzone said. “But I knew about his extraordinary competence and excellence in his work. And I trusted that, if we lost George to this promotion, then the Lord would send us a superb replacement, which he did.” Father Mazzone said Charles Atkinson of Clinton started work shortly before Mr. DiLorenzo left, to prepare for the transition.
Mr. DiLorenzo said he is starting his new job by trying to see what the present situation there is.
“I’m here to correct” what needs correcting and “improve on the improvements,” he said. He said he will be “trying to make the system work as flawlessly as it can.”
His job will involve more management than hands-on labor, he said. He brings with him experience of both types of work.
He said he was a self-employed contractor for 23 years; he owned DiLorenzo Custom Building and Remodeling in Clinton.
He stepped in “temporarily” to fill a need – digging graves at his parish. As a contractor, Mr. DiLorenzo had the necessary licenses, his father-in-law, Thomas Hayes, told the parish. Mr. Hayes, a member of Immaculate Conception Parish in Lancaster, had been cutting grass part time at St. John’s Cemetery in town.
Herb Nelson, St. John’s Cemetery superintendent, was seeking to retire, Mr. DiLorenzo said. So, he closed his own business, took on that job, and shortly thereafter became facilities manager for the parish too.
He used his construction experience to oversee renovation of the church, he said. He was also responsible for maintenance, landscaping and snow removal at the church, rectory and parish gym.
“I did most of that by myself,” he said.
For the cemetery, he had some help. Mr. Hayes worked for him part time, and, the past seven months, Carl Hughes, a St. John’s parishioner, worked full time.
Mr. DiLorenzo said his own work included selling plots, overseeing burials and doing landscaping.
As for his new job, there will likely be little hands-on labor.
“There’s a lot of help here” in the diocesan system, he said. “It’s pretty much managing the help that we have here, and sales” of plots. He said there are 10 full-time employees, and subcontractors will be hired for landscaping in the spring and summer.