| Catholic Cemetery |
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| Each person, created in the image and likeness of God, sets out on a faith journey. Our Church, and in particular the local parish, is always present along the way to minister to the traveler's needs and to celebrate significant milestones in their lives. |
| We become a new creation through water and the Holy Spirit of Baptism, becoming children of God. At the table of the Eucharist, we are nourished for our life's journey. Through Confirmation we are filled with the Holy Spirit and grow in wisdom and knowledge of the Lord and in service to our fellow travellers. Along the journey there are vocational choices of marriage, priesthood, and religious life. Promises are made, celebrated and supported. In our illness we are prayed for, visited, and anointed. Just as conception and growth are a part pf our pilgrimage, so is death. On life's journey, the Church is present to support and nurture the members of the faith community - therefore, it is only fitting that the Church is present at the time of death and grief. Catholic cemeteries are an extension of the parish where those who have worshipped and prayed together in life now await the resurrection of the body in death. Catholic cemeteries are rooted in ancient religious traditions that display a respect for the deceased and a reverence for the physical remains. A core belief which dates back to the birth of Christianity is that there is a direct relationship between Jesus' death and resurrection and the death and resurrection of the Christian. Catholics believe in life eternal. Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me will never die" (John 11:25-26). Just as Christ rose from the dead, He will raise our mortal remains to be like His in glory. Catholic cemeteries are a constant reminder that death is just a part of the journey that leads to new life. Catholic cemeteries are sacred places that strive to create a religious environment conductive to prayer, reflection and remembrance. Our cemeteries encourage prayerful visitation through the use of statuary, landscaping, architecture and Christian eymbolism throughout buildings and by memorialization. By choosing a Catholic cemetery, one selects a final resting place that reflects the beliefs and values from life's personal journey. It is a resting place that is sacred and shared with all fellow pilgrims awaiting the resurrection of the dead and the promise of everlasting life. |
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