Catholic Cemeteries

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Clean them up!🙂
I’m not writing this to just rant off. I hope others will clean them and maybe it will catch on.

I have recently this past year been visiting my Grandparents, aunt and uncle, cousins grave, they are all together. Talking and praying for them.
The graves were very dirty and dusty. At first they didn’t look like they were that bad but closer as I was cleaning could see the mold on the sides. I just took a regular broom and whisk one too. It has been dry around here in September so it dusted very well. Now it is cooler so it is a good time to get it done before the snows. I used a milkjug of water to rinse them off. We have water accessible pretty easy the spigots, outdoor faucets, are at about a block or two apart.
Our stones visible from the road which is what most people think that this is a good reason to clean them.
But really, they are a remembrance not just for others to see. I started to really look around and notice all the neighbors were dusty and then walked around and I’m telling you they looked like they were neglected and forgotten as much as some out west at boot hill in a ghost town. One parishioner from another city told me one day a year ago. You know your cemetery is looking abandoned. I began looking at it closer. It is called Mt. Olivet. What an embarrassment for such a wonderful name. The stones are wonderful looking and from a distance they don’t look so bad but they are not clean. And when you get up close they look like an unmade bed or one that has been slept in for a year and never really cleaned. So wash the bedspread!
I am trying to make an impression on anyone that is reading this. I’m hoping that my neighbors will see how I even took an old towel and buffed up the stone a bit so they may want to do the same, not trying to show off. The stone really did buff up nice and I will at least get out there once a year to show I care. But mostly for my grandma and aunt. There are a lot flowers and I bring them too. But to just drop off flowers and pray and leave is like no real contact. Mostly show.

This is a practice thread as I am going to write a letter to the gazette and also try to encourage others to do the same. Clean up, write a letter your example can make a difference. Maybe there is no one left to do this for some graves but If I know this for the neighbors I would clean that too. 🙂

Thanks; I pray it will lift any depression or feel of lost or bring closure to someone.
 
Hiyas

When I was in Children’s Hospital, I helped a friend of mine do research for a class project yeppers!!! we still have classes, even when in the hospital 🙂 ]. She had to find out about her family for the project. I started searching for all the dead people in her family and their graves…via the internet. People who made data bases, would report “unreadable - broken” stones etc. Some were dated in the 1970’s.

It seems, cemetery’s have become just a place to drop-off dead peoples, sometimes.

I thought…whoa, some people pay monies to bury loved ones…buy fancy coffins…headstones etc. But don’t tend the graves…why?

It seemed to me, that was a wasted chance to teach kids the family history.

I saved my monies and bought a metal and wood bench when the man who made the bench found out what I wanted it for…he donated another one ]. Then 2 picnic tables and the Cemetery gave us room to put them. When The Knights of Columbus heard what I was doing …they made a patio cover.

Now, Moms and Dads and Grandpas and Grammas…bring kids out. Teach them kids ] family history and have a sack lunch. The graves are tended.

I think Grwnups need to know: If you don’t teach us family history - it will be lost.

I hope this helps.
 
I tend the graves of my great-great-great grandparents (and four-times-great grandparents as well) who came over to the States from Ireland immediately following the Famine. It is a beautiful experience every time I sit “with” them and pray. It really, truly feels like we are all together.

I carefully dust off their headstones, as you do. But I feel I should add the caveat that we all must be very careful when cleaning old headstones. One of the family stones (the McCabes’) is sandstone and from 1880. It is weathered almost beyond the ability to read it. That stone I do not clean, for fear of damaging it even more. Maybe someday I will be able to gather together enough fund to have a memorial stone set beside it with my many-times-great grandparents’ names on it…because the sad truth is someday the sandstone marker will be unreadable.

Anyway, I agree…tending our relatives’ graves is a beautiful expression of both love and faith, and can do wonders to make one feel less alone in the world (spoken as the only child of two only children!).

*Stella
 
Our local parish, St. Francis Xavier mission, has a really nice cemetary right next to the church. Every year, we have a cleaning party, The grass is mowed and we scrub head stones so they can be read. We also have a caretaker that does basic maintenance.

The non-Catholic side of my family is located at a secular cemetary some distance away. But our family members have a cleanup day once a year and a couple of us stop by to have a picnic lunch at the grave site during the spring and summer.

We have always brought the kids along to help. In fact, one of my sons noticed that there was a grave site nearby that had not been cleaned for several years so without saying a word to anyone, he just went over and began cleaning. A couple of his brothers went to join him and completed the task quickly.

We make this an important part of our family life.
 
These are great stories. We do have great caretakers. When I started cleaning up around ours he came out and planted more grass seed as it tends to go away because it is by a large beautiful tree on a hill and when it rains that washes the soil away a bit.
We don’t have benches at all so that is a good idea, to add them.
Our Catholic is right next to the secular so they are close to each other.
No problems there.
 
<<The graves were very dirty and dusty. At first they didn’t look like they were that bad but closer as I was cleaning could see the mold on the sides.>>

I thought graves were basically holes in the dirt. I assume you mean the headstones?

Obviously, this cemetery has no provision for perpetual care, as most commercial cemeteries do.
 
To Catholics…Our cemetery is consecrated hallowed ground. Meaning it has been blessed by our Priests. It is like staying a member of a Church…kinda. A Religious Community, if you will.

Commercial Cemeteries do offer maintenance , but not without a fee. Some even require an annual assessment signed by survivors, at time of burial.

I hope this helps,
 
I grew up in the 50s. We would have a big family event close to All Saints Day. Because of the water table, most everyone in New Orleans is buried above ground.

We would go to the cemetary and clean the tomb of my ancestors. Soap and water, etc. Then we would white wash the exterior of the tomb. Then we would clean the earth of weeds and replant with flowers. I looked for a photo to describe my experience but couldn’t find one. Not everyone in NO is buried in vaults. My mother’s family grave is raised above ground and is enclosed by a masonry wall which is stuccoed.

I plan on being buried with my ancestors.
 
Twice each year our Catholic cemetary has a clean up day. Volunteers spend a morning tending to the graves.

While we have a paid caretaker, there is more work than one person can do!
 
Be careful when cleaning stones. Particularly those not made of granite.

Plain water and a soft brush are usually safe. Be gentle.

No abrasive brushes.
No household cleaners.
 
Cluny said:
<<The graves were very dirty and dusty. At first they didn’t look like they were that bad but closer as I was cleaning could see the mold on the sides.>>

I thought graves were basically holes in the dirt. I assume you mean the headstones?

Obviously, this cemetery has no provision for perpetual care, as most commercial cemeteries do.
Click to expand...
I did mean the stones, there is such a variety of headstones. Some are just that; just a stone in the ground. That is why I only used water.
The perpetual care I only know about is mowing and taking care of the trees, and finding location of graves. They have an office in a nice cabin like building. There is a chapel up on the hill, that was recently improved through donations. The sisters of Mercy are buried around the chapel. We have a mausoleum down the hill, which has benches and an area for the memorial day Mass.
 
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