Cemetery

 

REGULATIONS AND PRICES
FOR THE THREE CATHOLIC CEMETERIES OF GUERNSEY COUNTY

ST. BENEDICT / MOUNT CALVARY CEMETARY
STS. PETER AND PAUL CEMETERY
HOLY TRINITY / MOUNT CALVARY CEMETERY 

Cemetery Regulations

Because of our belief in the resurrection of the body, Christ Our Light Catholic Parish maintains its three cemeteries as quiet, beautiful places where those who have died rest in the peace of Christ and we who remain remember them and offer prayers for them. To meet these objectives, much effort will continue to be exercised in the care and maintenance of the grounds, monuments, drives, and surrounding areas which constitute the cemeteries. The rules and regulations contained herein are formulated to help meet these objectives and are put in place to help insure that the objectives are successfully achieved.

In accordance with the law of the Catholic Church, "a parishioner is a person who has permanent domicile within the territorial boundaries of a parish" (Canon 100).

A parishioner must be in good standing (one who regularly attends Mass, receives the sacraments frequently, fulfills his/her Easter duty, supports the church accordingly to their means, and is involved in the life of the church by their stewardship of time, talent, and treasure). If one does not fulfill the above description, he/she must be considered an inactive parishioner.

It must be stated there are individuals who do not live within the given boundaries of the parish but who do attend Mass regularly, support the parish, and take part in the life of the community. For pastoral reasons, these individuals are for all practical purposes registered members of the parish.

A non-parishioner or inactive parishioner is a person who does not live within the territorial boundaries of the parish or does not support the parish and does not take part in the life of the faith community of the Parish. A non-parishioner may be Catholic or non-Catholic.

The territorial boundaries of a parish are defined by the competent authorities of the Diocese. Accordingly, for a person to be considered a member of CHRIST OUR LIGHT PARISH, he/she must live within the boundaries of the parish.

Cemetery Fees

• Parishioner, their spouse, or minor child: $350 per grave
• Inactive Parishioner: $450 per grave
• Non-Parishioner: $1,000 per grave

• Opening & closing of graves: $550 per grave

• Cemetery Care Fund (parishioner): $100 per grave
• Cemetery Care Fund: (inactive or non-parishioner): $500 per grave

• Burial of urn & ashes, including opening & closing, in addition to grave purchase:
  (parishioner): $225 per grave
  (non-parishioner): $300 per grave

Effective September 1, 2007; revised March 15, 2008; July 1, 2009
(Prices are subject to change after annual review.)
 

General Rules and Regulations

1.     The cemeteries will open at 8:00 a.m. and close at sunset.

2.     All lots/graves sold in advance of a death will be paid in full at the time of purchase.  A family wishing to purchase a lot/grave at the time of death will have 30 days to pay for the lot/grave.

3.     As the deed to a lot/grave conveys only the right of burial, therein Christ Our Light Parish Cemeteries retain complete control and supervision of all lots/graves.

4.     No lot/grave owner can prosecute another lot/grave owner for trespassing.

5.     Sale of a lot/grave by the owner is not permitted.  They must be transferred back to Christ Our Light Parish Cemeteries at the purchase price.

6.     When a lot/grave is held by two or more persons jointly, they are regarded as but one owner.

7.     Any owner of a lot has the right to give permission by a written order for the burial of the remains of others than the immediate family in the lot/grave, but not for money or other consideration or profit.

8.     Intoxicating beverages are not permitted on cemetery grounds.

9.     Any driver who runs an automobile or other vehicle upon the lawns, across gutters, or anywhere else where damage results therefrom shall be required to make good such damages.

10.   There is a Christ Our Light Cemeteries Trust Account for all money left to the cemeteries through wills or otherwise, and this fund is used for maintenance of the cemeteries.

Plants, Flowers, and Grave Sites

1.     There shall be no planting on lots/graves... only at the head of the lot/grave.  Shrubs shall not be planted on or near the lot/grave.

2.     From May 15 to December 1:  Potted plants may be placed at the head of graves only and must be picked up before December 1, or they will be removed and disposed of by cemetery personnel.

3.     From December 1 to March 15:  Artificial decorations placed on the lot/grave shall be permitted to remain until March 15, at which time they will be removed and disposed of.

4.     Enclosures such as fences, hedges, or ditches are not permitted around any lot/grave.  Excavation for any purpose is not permitted.

5.     The cutting of turf or the making of a flowerbed on a lot/grave is not permitted.

6.     When flowers, wreaths, etc. are removed from lot/grave, they are to placed in the barrels available at the cemeteries or taken away for disposal in one's own trash container.

Interments and Removals


1.     No body except that of a human being may be buried in the cemeteries.

2.     The interment fee must be paid for at the time of interment to Christ Our Light Parish Cemeteries.

3.     Only one interment may be made in a lot that is not fully paid for.

4.     No interment or removal may be made unless a burial permit accompanies the body.  The laws of the State and the rules of the Health Department must be strictly complied with in all cases of interments.

5.     All interments shall be in permanent containers made of concrete, ferrous, or nonferrous metals.  Wooden containers may not be used.

6.     The number of interments which may properly be made upon a lot is definitely fixed at the time of purchase and no more will be permitted.

7.     The interment of cremains must be arranged through the Christ Our Light Parish offices.

8.     Cremains, according to church law, are to be interred as soon as possible.

9.     The cremains of two or more members of a family may be allowed in one grave with the notification of the Christ Our Light Parish office.

Funeral Regulations

1.     No funeral or interments will be accepted unless previous arrangements have been made through the offices of Christ Our Light Parish.

2.     The offices of Christ Our Light Parish must receive notice of a funeral at least two (2) days in advance.

Headstone, Monuments, and Vases

1.     No monuments or markers of any kind may be erected before the purchase price has been fully paid.

2.     Christ Our Light Parish and/or Cemeteries are not responsible for damages to headstones, vases, monuments, or mausoleums resulting from ordinary hazards of cemetery work, vandalism or natural causes.

3.     Limitations of the size of monuments and/or memorials in individual sections of the cemetery are not to exceed 36" high, 12" depth, and no longer than the width of the lot/grave.

4.     Each monument and/or memorial shall rest on a foundation paid for by the lot owner and constructed by the monument company from which it was purchased.

5.     All foot markers will be flush with ground level.

6.     Headstones may not be brought into the cemetery on Sundays or general holidays.

7.     All headstones must be put in the center of the lot/grave.

8.     Monuments may not be erected in Christ Our Light Parish Cemeteries between the time autumn rains begin and the ground becomes soft and until the ground becomes thoroughly settled in the spring, except by special permission from the parish office.

9.     Written permission must be obtained from the pastor of Christ Our Light Parish in order to place a mausoleum in any of the cemeteries.  All mausoleums are to be in areas set aside for them.  They must be side by side if they are for multiple burials.

Vehicle Regulations

1.     The speed of vehicles shall not exceed ten (10) miles per hour.

2.     Vehicles are not permitted to "U-turn," but must go around the section when reversing direction.

3.     No vehicle may come to a full stop in front of an open grave unless in attendance at a funeral.

4.     No all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, or mini-bikes are allowed in the cemeteries except when escorting a funeral.

5.     Animals, including but not limited to dogs and horses, shall not be permitted in the cemeteries.  Animals assisting legally handicapped persons are excluded from this section.

6.     Roads in the cemeteries are to be used for cemetery access only.

Approval of Rules

1.     Pastoral Council herein approved these rules and Regulations on August 19, 1997.

2.     Last revised on July 1, 2009.