A Small Cemetery Plans for the Future
Offering our ministry of consolation as an ongoing prayer.
By Deacon Larry Tiefenbach
Reprinted from Catholic Cemetery Conference magazine
June 2007 edition.
St. Rose Parish, Perrysburg, Oh, the third largest parish in the Diocese of Toledo, is unique in that it has its own parish cemetery. The cemetery is relatively small as it only consists of roughly fifteen acres of ground. It is under the direction of the Pastor Father Tom Leyland and is managed by Deacon Larry Tiefenbach who works at the parish office. The cemetery has its own board of directors which act as an advisory group to the Pastor.
The grounds were purchased for the cemetery in 1865. Ever since that time the cemetery has been used only for in-ground burial including cremation.
After Deacon Larry attended a CCC (Catholic Cemetery Conference) two years ago, and looked at the statistics that show an ever-increasing trend towards cremation, a decision was made to offer our parishioners another option for burial.
Building a small columbarium at the cemetery would give the parishioners three things.
- It would give everyone another choice for burial.
- It would provide additional room in our cemetery for burials.
- It would help us to conserve the land which we have.
The offer was very well received and we are happy to say that because of the overwhelming response we will be installing the final two sections of the columbarium during June 2007.
The first three units of the columbarium were blessed and dedicated by Father Tom Leyland and Father Tom Extejt on November 5, 2006. The three parish deacons were in attendance.
Deacon Larry Tiefenbach, Deacon Ken Cappelletty and Deacon victor DeFillippis. The Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus and the St. Rose Choir attended under the direction of Charlotte Mariasy, plus roughly 200 parishioners.
The columbarium is not, however, the end of the story. Deacon Larry wanted to generate more income for the cemetery while at the same time do something unique that would memorialize people buried now and in the future.
It was decided to install near the new columbarium an in-ground memorial cross made up of paver bricks. We then gave an option to the people to purchase these paver bricks at a nominal price. The price of the brick covered its cost and inscription, plus some profit for the cemetery, and allowed each individual to put a three line inscription on it to memorialize a relative or friend.
After the memorial cross is installed, plans are to erect an altar in the middle of it. Then, at this special place Mass will be said for those whose names are inscribed on the bricks below.
These memorial bricks offer to the people an additional opportunity to memorialize a loving person, living or deceased, relative or friend. Whether separated by time or miles, these lasting tributes offer family and friends a beautiful venue to honor and pay their respects locally.
Those we love can never be more Than a thought apart, for as long As there is a memory, they'll live On in our hearts!
