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

As a result of COVID-19/coronavirus and mitigation strategies and recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Minnesota Department of Health, we wanted you to know all Catholic Cemeteries sites are open and we will continue to conduct burials. We will continue to suspend all programming, except for Fetal Burial services, until further notice.

Beginning November 1^st, the Chapel Mausoleum will be closed to the public until further notice. Those who have keys may enter, but must wear masks, sanitize their hands upon entry, and maintain social distancing while inside the building. Bathrooms will remain closed. We will continue to sanitize the Mausoleum first thing in the morning prior to office hours.

The Chapel Mausoleum will be opened only for interments or inurnments. After each of these burials, the mausoleum will be disinfected.

Direct contact from funerals have caused Covid numbers to rise 43% during the month of October. Because of these numbers and the degree of spread, we will return to our earlier protocols.

Burials

Burials will continue at the gravesite, not to exceed 25 people.
It is strongly recommended that those with underlying health conditions not attend.
Individuals need to wear masks and observe a minimum of 6ft. for social distancing. This is to be observed by all attendees and staff.

Our Offices

Even though our offices will not be open to the public, we will continue to take phone and email requests. All our offices will continue to 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)
Preneed appointments may be scheduled with Family Service Counselors.
Other business, including but not limited to, genealogy, grave location, decoration purchases etc. may be done online or by phone.

The conditions in which we may operate are constantly changing, so please continue to 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 prayers.

News

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

On October 24, 2020 The Catholic Cemeteries held the “Bringing Them Home Service” for the individuals interred in the All Saints Crypt at Resurrection Cemetery. Here is the video for those who could not attend. After the introduction, the service begins at the 3:30 minute mark.

Grave Matters: Grief stricken husband nearing point of suicide finds help, hope and healing at St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery

“It’s like carrying on that relationship,” said Sister Fran Donnelly, director of LifeTransition Ministries at The Catholic Cemeteries in Mendota Heights. “We need, as human beings, that physical connection (to loved ones). So, when the person is no longer physically right there, we’ve got to find ways to make that real – their presence. What that does for us is it allows us to, step by step, let somethings go, but not everything. We don’t want to let everything go. We want that person to remain in our lives. And so, for many of us, it’s helpful to see their name somewhere, to know that their remains are there – safe, sound, secure, forever. That’s really reassuring for people.” ...Read More

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

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