Traditional Memorials
Remembering a loved one
The need to remember the life of a loved one who has died has been part of the human experience throughout history. In the Catholic Church, the baptized are encouraged to remember through prayer, ritual and permanent symbols those who have gone before us in faith. The Catholic Cemeteries offers a variety of meaningful ways to permanently and reverently memorialize the life of a departed loved one. In addition, seasonal tributes including wreathes during the Christmas season are also available.
Monuments
Grave Monuments are above-ground granite memorials that customarily are placed at the head of a lot. Monuments are available in a variety of colors and sizes determined by the number of graves owned. A minimum of two graves (designated as monument graves), located in a monument section, is required for the placement of a monument. The common family name, names of individuals buried on the lot, and other design work may be inscribed on the face of a monument. If size permits, flower vases may be affixed to the monument base.
Markers
Markers are in-ground granite memorials that are customarily located at the foot of a grave. Like monuments, markers are available in a variety of colors and sizes determined by the cemetery rules. Markers are also permitted on monument lots along with a monument.
Flower Vases
Flower vases made of bronze or granite may be installed on a monument base. A self-standing in-ground bronze vase may be installed, and is a favorite way of adorning a non-monument grave. Bronze vases include either a concrete base or granite base. These in-ground vases can be inverted into the integral canister in the ground to allow for mowing and cemetery maintenance. The Catholic Cemeteries offers three bronze vase designs; the Lotus, Doric, and Grecian. Each style vase has a cross emblem.
Personal Memory Rings
Personal memory rings are a unique feature available with a bronze in-ground flower vase. These can be inscribed with the name and years of birth and death of the person buried in the grave, usually a cremation burial on top of an existing conventional burial. It can also be used to remember someone who is not buried in the grave.
Memory Lights
Memory lights are an option interchangeable with the in-ground bronze flower vases. It fits onto a vase base and can be inverted into the ground. A wax candle or an inexpensive flickering battery-operated candle, can be placed inside the red colored plastic shell to provide the light over the gravesite.
Cremation Urns and
Urn Vaults
Cremation urns range in price and type of material. Urn vaults are also available for in-ground cremation burials. The urn is placed inside of the urn vault at the time of burial.
Mausoleum Crypt and
Niche Adornments
Families customarily remember a loved one interred in a crypt or niche with inscriptions of names and birth-death dates. Special adornments, such as vases and religious emblems, may be added to the crypt and niche fronts per cemetery regulations. The size and placement of the vases and emblems will vary with the space available on the crypt and niche fronts.
Decorations & Seasonal Tributes
Christmas wreaths may be ordered through The Catholic Cemeteries beginning in November and are placed at grave locations by The Catholic Cemeteries staff.
While purchasing Memorial Day tributes from The Catholic Cemeteries is currently on hold, we invite you to visit our cemeteries and to place your decorations. See “Rules” below.
Rules
To better serve all families who entrust their beloved to our care and visit this cemetery, and to maintain your Catholic cemetery in a neat and presentable manner, we have instituted the following guidelines:
- Decorating the grave with fresh cut flowers is welcomed and encouraged. Permanent flower vases can be purchased at the cemetery office.
- To protect both visitors and cemetery workers from injury during use of heavy equipment, artificial flowers are not permitted in the cemeteries during the mowing season (April through October), except in monument vases.
- Glass containers are not permitted at any burial site at any time.
- Artificial flowers, decorations or other ornaments are allowed during the days immediately before and after Memorial Day, or at the discretion of the Cemetery management.
- Natural evergreen wreaths are permitted from November through early March, and may be purchased through the cemetery office.
- No planting of any kind may be done in the ground at grave sites; decorations deemed objectionable can be removed at the discretion of the Cemetery management.
- Flowers, plants and decorations placed on graves during the mowing season of April through October will be removed weekly in order to carry out the normal lawn care and maintenance procedures.
- Special occasions such as holidays or holy days may necessitate special rules and instructions; please contact the cemetery office for assistance.
- Only cemetery approved and supplied flower vases and emblems are permitted on mausoleum crypt or niche faces. Please visit the cemetery office to inquire about these flower vases and emblems. All other vases, emblems, and other decorations will be deemed inappropriate and removed at cemetery discretion.
- Flowers placed at the time of an interment will be left a minimum of three days. It is suggested that potted plants from funerals not be left in the cemetery since they will be discarded. The Catholic Cemeteries cannot accept responsibility for ensuring that flowers and other decorations remain in place.
- Each week during the growing season cemetery personnel remove unsightly (wilted flowers) decorations from graves, crypts and niches. Normally, spring clean-up begins in early March, weather permitting, and all winter decorations are removed at this time. Fall clean-up begins in October and all summer decorations are removed at this time.
- It is not possible for cemetery employees to attend all areas of the cemeteries during normal cemetery hours. As a consequence, there are occasions when flowers and decorations have been stolen. The cemetery cannot assume any liability for decorations placed on burial sites. We recommend that families take this into consideration when selecting flowers or decorations for graves, crypts or niches.
