Rules & Regulations
As Catholics, we see death as a natural passageway to everlasting life. For many Catholics being buried in a Catholic Cemetery is a final act of faith, a public witness to one’s membership in the community of faith, and to one’s belief in the resurrection of the body and everlasting life.
Catholic Cemeteries are sacred and consecrated grounds set aside by the Church for the burial for the faithful. They reflect the Church’s teachings and traditions. The Cemeteries bear silent witness to the final resurrection and are a symbol of our faith that tells us that life, while changed, does not end here on earth.
The following Rules and Regulations are designed for mutual protection of the lot (plot), crypt, niche, or columbarium owners within the Cemetery and to ensure the sacred character of the Diocese of Grand Rapids Catholic Cemeteries are accordance with the mind and traditional practice of the Catholic Church.
Ownership
It shall be the duty of the plot holder to notify the Cemetery office of any change in address, phone or email. Notice sent to plot holder at the last address in the management’s records shall be considered sufficient and proper legal notification.
The sale or transfer of any lot (plot), crypt, niche, or columbarium is a private transaction between the original purchaser and the new owner. The Cemetery does not recognize that transfer until our legal paperwork has been completed and processed.
If the lot owner has passed away and the lot (plot), crypt, niche, or columbarium were not specified in the last will and testament, these location(s) would go to the next of kin or all the surviving heirs. The Cemetery does not recognize the change in ownership without proper legal proof; a copy of the recorded will or until our legal paperwork has been completed and processed. Please contact the office with any further questions.
Burial Authorization must be given by the lot (plot), crypt, niche, or columbarium owner. Please note that this authorization does require completion of the Cemetery’s legal paperwork.
Work Performed within Cemetery
No persons, other than the duly authorized employees of the Cemeteries, shall be allowed to perform any work within the Cemetery without written authorization issued by the Cemetery management, and any such work so authorized shall be subject to all provisions contained herein pertaining to such activity. All authorized contracted workers must have proof of insurance filed with the Cemetery before work occurs.
Landscaping
Lot (plot), crypt, niche, or columbarium owners hold no right to remove trees, shrub, or other landscape. If any tree, shrub, or plant, by means of its roots, branches, or otherwise, becomes detrimental to the interment space upon which it stands or to any adjacent interment spaces or avenues, or if for any reason it’s removal is deemed necessary, the Cemetery management shall have the right to remove such tree, shrub, plant, or any part thereof, or otherwise correct the condition existing as in its judgement it deems best. In the event of any such removal, the Cemetery shall have no obligation to replace the removed tree, shrub or plant. The Cemetery also reserves the right to move/adjust any marker or interment based on the interference or growth of shrub, plant, tree, or roots.
No trees, shrubs or other plants may be planted by anyone other than the Cemetery, except with express written permission of the Cemetery. In the event any such plantings, allowed, the Cemetery reserves the right to perform whatever maintenance it deems necessary to preserve the appearance of such landscaping, including complete removal of that landscaping if, in the opinion of the Cemetery, it should become unsightly.
Pets
Pets are not permitted in the Cemetery.
Drugs, Alcohol, and Weapons
The possession or consumption of illegal drugs and alcoholic beverages within the Cemetery is strictly forbidden. No person or persons, other than law enforcement authorities or Cemetery security personnel, shall be permitted to bring or carry firearms within the Cemetery, except military guard of honor and then only when in the charge of a military officer, during a military service, and upon prior approval of the Cemetery.
Peddling or Soliciting
No peddling or soliciting of any commodity whatsoever within any Cemetery by anyone other than the Cemetery Authorities is allowed.
Signs and Advertising
No signs, notices, or advertising is permitted within any Cemetery except those placed by the Cemetery Authorities.
Interment, Inurnment & Disinterment’s
The Cemetery does require 48hrs’ notice for any service.
Anytime we are doing an interment, inurnment, and disinterment we do need to complete the proper paperwork requiring approval from the lot (plot), crypt, niche, or columbarium owner and next of kin. When it comes to disinterment, we would need paperwork from both lot (plot), crypt, niche, or columbarium owners, the next of kin, and a funeral home must be involved, and we would need to obtain a permit from the city. Please contact the office with any further questions.
The Cemetery Authorities reserve and have the right to correct any errors that may have been made when doing an interment and disinterment, or in the description, transfer, or conveyance of any rights or lot (plot), crypt, niche, or columbarium either by canceling such conveyance and substituting and conveying in lieu thereof other interments rights or lot (plot)of equal value and similar location as far as possible, as may be selected by the Cemetery Authorities, or in the sole discretion of the Cemetery Authorities, by refunding money paid on account of said purchase. In the event any such error shall involve the interment of the remains of any person in any lot (plot), the Cemetery Authorities reserves, and shall have, the right to remove and reinter the remains in such other lot (plot) of equal value and similar location as may be substituted and conveyed in lieu thereof.
Cremated Remains
According to the Catholic Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, scattering is not a permitted method of disposition for cremated remains, and therefore the Cemetery does not allow the practice of scattering. Please note that the Diocese of Grand Rapids Catholic Cemeteries is private property and does not approve of this at any of our five Cemeteries.
Markers and Temporary Markers
Always contact the Cemetery prior to ordering any form of temporary memorialization.
At Resurrection & St. Andrew Cemetery only one memorial may be placed on any one ground lot (plot). At Holy Cross, Mt. Calvary, and Sts. Peter & Paul Cemetery more than one marker is allowed per one ground lot (plot). We understand that when it comes to single markers, companion markers, and second burial rites it can get complicated. We never want you to purchase something that cannot be placed in our Cemeteries. We strongly encourage you to contact our office before purchasing a marker that cannot be returned.
The Diocese of Grand Rapids Catholic Cemeteries must approve all marker sketches before any marker goes to production. If any memorial, structure, or any inscription to be placed on same, or any embellishment whatsoever, shall be determined by the Cemetery to be offensive or improper, the Cemetery reserves and shall have the right to (a) refuse to authorize the placement of such memorial or object; or (b)if already in place, the Cemetery shall have the right to remove, change or correct, at the Owner’s expense, any such offensive or improper memorial, object or inscription.
Repair or Removal
Should any memorial, monument, or mausoleum become unsightly, dilapidated, a nuisance, or unsafe, the Cemetery shall have the right to repair it or, at its option, to remove and replace it with same. The cost of any repair, removal or replacement shall be paid by the Owner of the Interment Right. The opening of a niche, crypt, mausoleum, columbarium, to do repair or maintenance work does not constitute disinterment, and as such the Cemetery does not need permission to proceed with any such repair or maintenance.
Damage and Theft
Diocese of Grand Rapids Catholic Cemeteries disclaims all responsibility for loss or damage from causes beyond its reasonable control, and especially from damage by an act God, the elements, earthquakes, war, common enemy, air raids, invasions, insurrections, riots, order of any military or civil authority, thieves, vandals, strikers, malicious mischief makers, explosions, unavoidable accidents, or any cause similar or dissimilar beyond control of management whether the damage be direct or collateral. In the event it becomes necessary to reconstruct or repair any section or plot, including graves or crypts, or any portion or portions thereof in the Cemetery, which has been damaged by such causes, the management shall give a written notice of the necessity for such repair to the plot holder of record. The notice shall be given by depositing the same in the United States mail, with postage thereon duly paid, addressed to the lot (plot) holder of record at his or her address stated on the books of the management. The management will repair the damage within a reasonable time and charge the expense against the lot (plot) and to the lot (plot) owner of record.
The Cemetery shall not be responsible for any damage to outer burial containers, memorials or foundations which also includes vandalism or loss from theft.
Decorations
Decorating around a loved one’s gravesite is a way to personalize their memorial in remembrance of them. For some, decorating a gravesite allows individuals to feel closer to those who are no longer with us, and it is a way to show the impact the deceased had on those still with us.
When the cemetery created the Rules and Regulations, one of our top priorities was the safety of both family and friends visiting their loved ones, and the safety of our staff while on the equipment throughout the grounds. With that, we must enforce our rules regarding decorations not contained in vases (Resurrection Cemetery) placed on the raised markers, Concrete Urns (Mt. Calvary), or Metal Baskets (St. Andrew, Holy Cross, Mt. Calvary, and Sts. Peter & Paul cemeteries). With that, florist cones, grave blankets, limestone, vigil lights, Madonna’s, glass articles, curbing, fencing, hedging, borders, or enclosures of any kind shall not be allowed in or around the lot (plot).
Plastic flowers are permitted in the designated containers April 1st through October 15th. Weather faded plastic flowers that are unsightly should be removed or will be removed at the discretion of management.
Winter wreaths on tripod stands and crosses are permitted at Holy Cross, Mt. Calvary, St. Andrew, and Sts. Peter and Paul Cemeteries November 15th through March 31st.
Winter wreaths on tripod stands are permitted at Resurrection Cemetery December 1st through March 31st.
Decorations or ornaments of any type are not permitted in or around the mausoleum area.
Dates to Remember
April 1 – October 15 – All decorations should be placed in the vase on the Memorial. Fresh cut flowers or artificial flowers are welcomed. Decorations not placed in the vases create mowing hazards, therefore they may not be placed. Funeral flowers should be removed from the burial spaces one week after the new burial. Metal baskets are allowed only at St. Andrew, Holy Cross, Mt. Calvary, and Ss. Peter and Paul cemeteries.
October 15 – March 31 – Metal baskets (applies to only St. Andrew, Holy Cross, Mt. Calvary and Ss. Peter and Paul cemeteries) must be removed and vases must be inverted within the memorial, to prevent freezing, breaking and/or damage by snow removal equipment used for winter burials.
One week before Memorial Day – Plastic cones with flowers are allowed. They should be removed within one week after Memorial Day. Cemetery personnel cannot store or save decorations removed from burial spaces.
November 15 – March 31 – Christmas wreaths & crosses are permitted at Holy Cross, Mt. Calvary, and Ss. Peter and Paul cemeteries.
December 1 – March 31 – Christmas wreaths and only wreaths are permitted at Resurrection Cemetery.