Our Services
The Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Camden offer a complete range of services and assistance to meet Catholic burial and end of life needs. We can help you with pre-need planning, at time of death decisions, bereavement support and memorialization. We also hold memorial events during the year. Our overriding goal is to maximize convenience, comfort and cost-efficiency while reducing the stress and emotional toll on you and your loved ones.
If you would like to learn more about the factors involved with making Catholic burial arrangements, call 800-594-4980. A member of our staff will be pleased to answer your questions and schedule a personal consultation at your convenience. There is no obligation.
At Time of Death
The death of a loved one is often the beginning of what can be a difficult period for those left behind. It most likely will be the most grievous and hardest experience you will face. In addition to the obvious emotional tolls placed on you, there are many decisions that need to be made and responsibilities that must be dealt with that can seem overwhelming.
Where to Begin:
Notifications
When a loved one passes, you should notify the following
- Emergency services 911 (if death occurs at home)
- The attending nurse (if you are present when a loved one passes away in a hospital, nursing facility or is under hospice care)
- Loved ones, family and friends
- The deceased’s parish priest
- The deceased’s parish priest
- An appropriate funeral home
Arrangements
Although priorities will vary, you will want to take steps to ensure that your loved one’s end-of-life wishes and rites are fulfilled, including those specific to our Catholic teachings. Together, these undertakings and final acts of faith not only have practical value, they provide comfort, peace of mind, and the opportunity for friends and family to celebrate the life of the departed while affirming our belief in the everlasting life to come.
Arrangements may include
Meeting with Funeral Home Representatives to Discuss
- Times and dates for the wake and any on-site services
- Burial options and preparation of the remains
- If burial plot was purchased prior to death, bring your burial certificate
- Securing death certificates
- Attire of the deceased for the funeral
- Eulogies
- Obituary notices
- Details such as floral arrangements, memorial folders, prayer cards, guest book, charitable donation requests, transportation to and from church, funeral home and cemetery
- Handicap accommodations or other special requirements
Meeting with a Parish Priest or Pastoral Staff to Discuss
- Confirmation of the dates and times of the funeral rite, mass and/or committal service
- Details of the funeral mass/service
- Burial place protocols
Meeting with your Catholic Cemeteries Staff to Discuss
- Confirmation of pre-planned burial arrangements; please bring the burial certificate with you
- Contacting your cemetery of choice if you need to select and purchase a burial rite
- Details of any services that will be held at the time of the committal
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns at any time at 800-594-4980. Whether you own a burial rite or need to purchase one, we are here to help you.
Infant Arrangements
Infant Burial
The death of a child is the most tragic event any family could face. As an extension of our Ministry, the Diocese of Camden donates a burial privilege to Catholic families for the baby or young child. The donated grave is located in the baby section of each cemetery, or as an additional right to an existing family plot already in the family’s name. Approval for the final burial location will be made by the cemetery’s foreman.
Memorializing the Unborn
Catholics recognize the sanctity of life at every stage. In the event of a miscarriage or abortion, grieving can be especially difficult when remains are not available to lay to rest. At many of our cemeteries, we have special memorial areas to remember infants who did not get the chance to live physically in this world, but whose souls live on eternally with God. Many of our cemeteries offer a Monument to the Unborn where you can engrave the names of those lost prematurely.
Call your cemetery office to ask about memorialization options.
Taking Care of Yourself
Recognizing that the death of a loved one and dealing with the many responsibilities involved can be extremely demanding and exhausting, it is very important that the surviving family members take steps to safeguard their own mental and physical well-being. These may include
- Making sure you don’t miss meals or neglect food and drink altogether
- Getting sufficient rest
- Spending time with friends and family
- Accepting offers of help
- Securing professional assistance if needed
- Not attempting to “do it all” — Deal with meaningful tasks and delegate less important ones to others
- Taking advantage of support groups provided by your church or community
We will be happy to answer questions, review costs and offer faith-based guidance.
Simply call: 800-594-4980.
Bereavement Support
“Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress…” Psalm 31:9
Death is a most emotional, challenging and stressful experience that we struggle to understand and accept. Coping with the death of a loved one is difficult, sad and for many unbearable. For most, when the death of a loved one occurs, life changes forever. Feelings of sorrow, anger and guilt may occur. This is grief they are experiencing which is their response – mind, body and spirit – to the loss of their loved one.
This is a normal response, and it is okay to grieve. Some may cry, some may scream and some may feel hollow or numb. We all grieve in our own way. There is no “right” way to grieve when we lose a loved one. Some may start to feel better in a few weeks or months, while others may still be grieving years later.
We are here to help you. The Diocese of Camden offers a bereavement ministry with many resources available to help you cope with your grief. Additionally, many parishes also have a bereavement ministry that meet on a regular basis. It is through our hope and faith in Jesus Christ that we will persevere and that we will receive grace, peace and the ability to strengthen ourselves; never forgetting our loved one, but able to continue in our life’s journey. Remembering that it is through death that we gain salvation, are resurrected and receive eternal life.
“For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait with endurance.” Romans 8:24-25
If the signs of grief start to interfere with relationships or daily functioning, this might be cause for concern, and the assistance of a professional might be helpful. Click here for a list of support groups in the Diocese of Camden