GREAT MILLS, Md. – The annual outdoor St. Mary’s May Mass to honor the deceased youth of the area will be celebrated at the St. Mary’s Youth Memorial in Great Mills on Saturday morning, May 22, 2021. This yearly event dedicated to remembering the young people of the County who have passed too soon will commence with prayers of the Rosary at 9:30 AM followed by Mass at 10:00 with Holy Communion. Father Jerry, Pastor of Holy Face Catholic Church will be the celebrant.
This scenic memorial is unlike any in Southern Maryland. Dedicated in May, 1986 it is a quiet, hallowed place where families and friends of all Faiths can come to grieve and recall the memories of young people whose lives were suddenly cut short. The Memorial, with its “Lady of Lourdes” grotto surrounding a beautiful statue of a young Blessed Mary, continues to attract greater numbers of visitors who come to pay their respect to the more than 200 names of beloved children that are inscribed on the fourteen monuments installed on this ¾ acre site.
The Memorial was inspired by Eddie and Agnes Tippett as a tribute to their son Tom following his tragic loss at age eighteen in 1984. The grotto was donated by the nuns at St Mary’s Academy in Leonardtown where it stood for 82 years. The monuments and the grounds are maintained by volunteers, headed up by the Knights of Columbus Council 3849 at Holy Face Parish, Great Mills.
The site of the Memorial is located at 20016 Point Lookout Rd., Great Mills, MD 20634 and can be found just South of the intersection of Great Mills Road and Point Lookout Rd. [Route 5]. Parking is available on a first come first served basis so its recommended visitors for this year’s event plan to arrive early for the service on Saturday morning,
For additional information, or to add a name to the memorial or to make a tax deductible donation, please contact Chairmen of the Board of Directors, Chuck Shilling at (301) 535 8339 or write to:
St. Mary’s Youth Memorial
P.O. Box 36,
Piney Point, MD 20674