Laura Keener, Editor.
When Bishop Roger Foys decided to entomb Bishop Camillus Maes at the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption he entrusted the details to Father Joseph Shelton and Deacon Jordan Hainsey.
Both Father Shelton and Deacon Hainsey are passionate about Church history. Deacon Hainsey has the added gift of being an artist. Father Shelton was ordained a priest for the diocese in May 2018. Deacon Hainsey is a diocesan seminarian in his fourth year of theological studies at St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe.
The two worked under the guidance of Bishop Foys and with the assistance of Father Daniel Schomaker, vicar general; Father Ryan Maher, vicar general and rector of the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption; and Steven Enzweiler, Cathedral historian.
Located in the former Cathedral-Basilica baptistery, the new tomb of Bishop Maes features a sarcophagus of white and green marble, designed to blend with the Cathedral’s marble work. Bishop Maes’ coat of arms is carved and gold-leafed on the front of the sarcophagus. The lid features a hand-carved white Carrera marble effigy depicting Bishop Maes. The original altar in the Cathedral was made of Carrera marble. Father Shelton and Deacon Hainsey designed the effigy with Bishop Maes in full pontifical attire using motifs taken from the vesture of Covington’s bishops — the crozier is a depiction of the crozier given to Bishop Maes by the priests of Detroit (the diocese from where he came); the miter resembles one which belonged to Bishop Mulloy; the gloves and shoes fashioned after those that belonged to Bishop Richard Ackerman and a ring belonging to Bishop Foys.
Bishop Maes’ remains were exhumed from St. Mary Cemetery under the direction of Mike Sexton, funeral director, Rebold, Rosenacker and Sexton Funeral Home. Father Shelton and Deacon Hainsey carefully and prayerfully washed Bishop Maes’ remains and prepared them for entombment — vesting him in cassock, alb, dalmatic chasuble and zucchetto along with a pair of episcopal shoes that belong to Bishop Richard Ackerman. Mr. Sexton oversaw the process.
Placed in his casket are: the Sept. 27 and Oct. 18 editions of the Messenger that feature two historic articles of his episcopacy written by Mr. Enzweiler, a replica of the silver dollar given to him by the little girl that inspired him to build the Cathedral, a crucifix, an invitation to and the program from his 2019 Requiem Mass and Entombment, a holy card, a rosary with a green leather case imprinted with his coat of arms.
The casket that Bishop Maes was placed in is from Abby Caskets, St. Meinrad Archabbey, St. Meinrad, Indiana.
