A Special Notice from The Catholic Cemeteries: COVID-19 Update

As a result of the rising cases of COVID-19/coronavirus we wanted you to know all of our Catholic Cemeteries sites are open and we will continue to conduct burials. However, we are suspending all programming, including the Holiday Mass of Remembrance, until further notice (except the Fetal Burial Service on Sat., Nov. 7th at 10am at St. Peter’s Catholic Church. See the events page for details).

Our Offices

All our offices will be open to assist with the selection of burial spaces for AT NEED situations or situations where a death is imminent. (Mon.-Fri. 8am-4:30pm)
We will be closed on Saturday until further notice.
Our offices will NOT be open for any other business, including but not limited to, genealogies, decoration purchases, etc.

Chapel Mausoleums

Beginning Sunday, November 1st, the Chapel Mausoleums will be closed to the public until further notice. While we have been doing daily disinfecting, we will be doing a deep cleaning and disinfectant of all surfaces that may be possible contamination sites for the coronavirus. The Chapel Mausoleum will be opened only for interments or inurnments After each of these burials, the mausoleum will again be disinfected. If you are a key/card holder to this area, you will be able to access the building. Please follow all safety protocols when visiting.

Burials/Interments:

Please limit your gatherings for burials/interments to no more than 25.

The conditions in which we may operate are constantly changing, so please check our website for updates.

We can offer assistance with any questions, issues and concerns that you may have over the phone or through our website. Please feel free to visit our website or call prior to coming out to our cemeteries. Visit www.catholic-cemeteries.org or call us at 651-228-9991 during normal business hours.

It is our intention to continue to serve you during these challenging times. We appreciate your patience and your prayers.

News

Here are some ways The Catholic Cemeteries has been in the headlines!

The Catholic Cemeteries aims to help families inter cremated remain s

“As cremation grows in popularity, more and more people – including Catholics – are keeping cremated remains in their homes, said Catholic Cemeteries Director Joan Gecik. Many people with cremated remains intend to eventually inter them, but for various reasons have yet to do it. Others inherit the remains of a loved one and aren’t sure what to do with them.” …Read More

More Catholics choose ‘green burial’, hoping for a lighter footprint

“It’s not just a national trend, but among Catholics the idea is resonating a lot,” says Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Frances Donnelly, director of Life Transitions Ministries for The Catholic Cemeteries in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. “We want to be a part of God’s creation.”…Read More

Eight tips for pre-planning your funeral

You don’t have to tell Joan Gecik that weddings are huge affairs. Getting ready for the big day can take a year or more, she said. She wishes, though, that everyone would spend more time preparing for a day that’s just as monumental: the day they meet God … Read More

Joan Gecik has been preparing all of her life to lead Catholic Cemeteries

To get the full story, you must go back to the Sunday picnics. Without knowing it, Joan Gecik has been preparing for her new job as executive director of The Catholic Cemeteries her entire life — personally and professionally. But the first notable influence came in early childhood … Read More

‘Everything is biodegradable, including you.’ A Catholic cemetery in Mendota Heights offers green burial.

A Catholic cemetery in Mendota Heights is among the first in the state to offer “green” burials, free of chemicals and concrete.

“It’s how I’ve always wanted to be buried,” Catholic Cemeteries director Joan Gecik said. “I just love the idea of being able to go back into the earth.” … Read More

Catholic Cemeteries to offer ‘natural burial’ option starting in fall

After his funeral Mass, Schweigert, 67, wants to be placed directly in the ground, wrapped only in cloth, with little of the funeral trappings many people have come to expect.

And The Catholic Cemeteries plans to be ready to accommodate him.… Read More

Natural burial to begin at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights

Phyllis Strong, who worked in pollution control for the state of Minnesota, looks forward to The Catholic Cemeteries starting natural burial at Resurrection Cemetery in Mendota Heights June 1.

“I had looked at a lot of different natural burial options, and so at Resurrection … it incorporates the Catholic faith view that you bury the remains … in blessed ground,” said Strong, 71, a member of St. Louis King of France in St. Paul.… Read More

Cemeteries in our lives — and at the end of our lives

In my years of service as a priest and bishop, I have always welcomed the opportunity each Memorial Day to schedule a Mass or service of remembrance in one of our Catholic cemeteries. They are moments not only to recall the heroic selflessness of those who made the supreme sacrifice in the service of our country, but also to recall more broadly our ongoing connection with those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith.… Read More

The Catholic Cemeteries