Saddened by the state of the headstones of the Priests and Nuns in our main Catholic Cemetary :(

[jazzy0710]

Hello

So I was just by our local Catholic Cemetary (Priest that baptized me is burried there) and my husband and I were absolutely heartbroken by the state of the headstones of the Priests and Nuns.

There is a statue of Jesus with a lamp on his shoulders at the top of the hill where the priests are and frankly it looks horrible. The granite has weakened with the weather and if you stand even just a few feet away you can’t see what’s inscribed on it. You drive by it and you have no idea that it’s Priests and a few Bishops that are in that location. There are 73 there in total. Only 3 have flowers there and the flowers that are there are so tiny and weathered. Some of the stones have weathered and are very dirty. I don’t think the majority of them get visited often or are even cleaned.

The Nuns are burried in 2 different areas. One group is up on a hill. The other group is on a flat surface beside the priests. There headstones are all flat and are in poor condition just like some of the majority of the priests. There are 3 times the ammount of nuns and I only seen 2 headstones that had anything on them. The group that is burried near the priests, honeslty it looks like a cobblestone walkway there. You have no idea who is there because there are bushes that block the cross at the back that says “Sisters of charity” but you have no idea that, that is what it says unless you walk right up to it.

This totally irks me. It’s like they’ve been forgotten about

So what do I want to do?

It’s going to be a huge project but I’d like to clean them up. I’d like to bring them all flowers.

Here’s the issue though.

The cemetary doesn’t permit vases unless they are mounted to the stones. My plan for the priests is to make saddle pieces since they all have upright stones. However the nuns all have flat stones. You can’t put vases there because the cemetary workers need to be able to get around them with the lawn mowers.

Does anyone out there have any suggestions? I’d greatly appreciate any feedback both good and bad.

Thank you

 

[CradleJourney]

I think it’s amazing and wonderful that you want to spruce up their gravesites! That’s awesome.

One thing that popped in my mind was have you considered enlisting some help - perhaps a boy scout in your parish is in need of an Eagle scout project? I ask because several scouts in our troop have done extensive restorations of local pioneer cemeteries in our area as their project. That way the cost and labor could be spread out over many hands and could bring more ideas to the table. Also remind the next generation of the importance of these holy men and women.

Good luck and may God bless your efforts!
CJ

 

[Irishmom2]

I think that before you make any further plans, you talk to whoever is actually in charge/owns the cemetery to see what is allowed or not. I don’t know what your plans are for the saddles or how long they will last because of what they are made of, but perhaps a more permanent listing of who is who might be a good idea. If the cemetery is “historical” they may want the headstones left as is. It’s best to research permanent options and see what is allowed.

That you care about the cemetery is commendable and admirable.

 

[venite_adoremus]

PLEASE do one thing for me. Do NOT clean the stones yourself! Annually, more damage is done by well-meaning people (armed with Formula 409 and bleach bottles and scrub brushes) than by a hundred years of natural weathering. If the markers need to be replaced, fine. The cemetery will help you determine how to do that. Call professionals.

Consider that the women’s orders may be vowed to poverty and may refuse to allow the markers to be replaced.

Consider also that a memorial garden close by in the cemetery (maybe on an unusable portion of a lot corner) could also be a fitting living tribute.

 

[jazzy0710]

Thank you all for your feedback. I have every intention of contacting the cemetery when everything reopens on Tuesday in order to find out what I am and not allowed to do. Will keep you posted

 

[reggieM]

Beautiful post.
We have the same problem in our cemetary and we had our rosary group go there on Saturdays and do some weeding and sprucing up of the nuns headstones and some of the very old priests ones. But a lot more work was needed than our small group could do. I hope you will be very successful - it’s part of the corporal works of mercy!