For more than 165 years, the Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee have served as a foundation for families, melding generations through faith and tradition. Since the earliest days of the Church, Catholics have opted for burial in consecrated, sacred grounds while awaiting the resurrection of their bodies. These holy spaces are an extension of the Catholic Church and ensure that those who are together in life are together in death. These cemeteries also offer an opportunity for others to visit and pray for the souls of the deceased at their graves.
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee owns and operates eight Catholic cemeteries: All Saints, Pleasant Prairie; Calvary, Holy Cross, Holy Trinity, Mount Olivet and St. Adalbert in Milwaukee; Resurrection, Mequon; and St. Joseph, Waukesha.
These cemeteries are reverent and prayerful places with Catholic symbols, monuments and structures to make visiting these places a holy and serene experience. Choosing burial in a Catholic cemetery is a way of remaining surrounded by the faith of other members of the Church, even in death. Like the other sacraments we receive throughout our lives, such as Baptism, First Communion, and marriage, God calls us to be present with him after our life’s journey.
Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee offers choices to accommodate different preferences. In addition to traditional burial plots, above-ground crypts for full caskets and niches for urns with cremains are available. The faces of some are outdoors and easily accessible, while others are available during set hours in carpeted indoor buildings that include chairs and prayer spaces.
Part of understanding why choosing a Catholic cemetery is important is understanding Catholic funeral traditions. They consist of three rites, explained Mary Thiel, Director of Cemeteries for the archdiocese.
“The vigil, which can also be called the visitation, wake or prayer service is a time where family and friends can gather at a funeral home or chapel to pray, grieve together and remember their loved ones,” she said. “The funeral liturgy generally is in the form of a funeral Mass at the parish church. Then the third rite is the burial or final committal, which takes place at the cemetery after the funeral or at another time.”
In addition to helping families navigate the final wishes of their loved ones, Thiel’s role and the role of others who operate Catholic cemeteries is that of education and helping families with the difficult decisions associated with loss.
“Planning is one of the most loving and responsible things a person can do for their family,” Thiel said. “So many times, family members are trying to maneuver through the pain of loss and one person might believe their loved one wanted one thing and another one might think something else. By planning for funeral and cemetery needs, the family can ensure that wishes are met, avoid emotional overspending, and provide peace of mind for themselves and their loved ones.”
Each Catholic cemetery offers funeral planning guide booklets for individuals to state their wishes, such as whether they want cremation or burial, where the plots or mausoleums are located, what music to play at a funeral, scripture readings, and even what prayer card, photo and prayer to use. Thiel explained that this is an invaluable gift to be handed to families and respects the wishes of their loved ones.
While it is a difficult conversation to have, it is important to discuss funeral planning with loved ones before the need arises, to alleviate the burdens associated with the end of life. Other benefits include peace of mind, and the ability to reserve a preferred location for the individual and their family.
“We also offer as part of our outreach program that anyone who calls one of our eight Catholic cemeteries and mentions their parish will receive a 5-percent discount on property to help start the funeral planning conversation, which can be offered as a gift before it is needed,” said Thiel. “We also offer zero-percent financing terms with affordable payments for 12, 24 or 36 months, which locks in today’s pricing.”
Many options exist of varying price points, including the Mother Teresa program, which allows people who are poor or destitute in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee to receive free sacred and dignified cemetery services.
“We have something for every budget and really do our best to work with everyone,” said Thiel. “We want to avoid any of the little nuances and disagreements with family members during a time when they need each other for support. Preplanning is a gift to your loved ones.”
Another benefit of Catholic cemeteries is the honor and dignity they offer to those who have miscarried a baby.
“Anyone who has lost a baby under 20 weeks’ gestation, either at home or in a hospital, can bring the baby to the cemetery and we will provide a free burial, as well as spiritual direction with a cemetery chaplain,” said Thiel. “We will have a prayer service and final committal service for the baby and the parents can be part of that.”
Every six weeks, miscarried babies are picked up by cemetery staff from Ascension hospitals (St. Joseph, St. Francis, Elmbrook and Franklin), Columbia/St. Mary’s in Milwaukee and Ozaukee counties, or St. Catherine’s Medical Center (Pleasant Prairie) and Kenosha Medical Center.
Per the parent’s wishes, the babies are delivered to either Holy Cross Cemetery or Pinelawn Cemetery in the Milwaukee area, and to All Saints Cemetery in the Kenosha area.
If a baby is miscarried at home, the parents may bring their baby to the cemetery on the day of service. All that is required is a letter from the mother’s physician stating she was in their care when the miscarriage occurred and completion of their standard burial authorization form.
For babies lost after 20 weeks, a death certificate is required, and the parents would go through a funeral home.
“For those babies, they would be part of the precious lives program for families who lose children, and we can provide a free burial,” said Thiel.
For more information on Catholic funerals, programs, burials and internments, visit cfcsmilwaukee.org or call 414-438-4420.
