CEMETERY NEWS

Our cemetery has been in existence just about as long at the parish — so about 75 years. It is the final resting place for many of our parish members. Many veterans go to the cemetery at Ripley. Other parishioners are buried "back home" or at some previous parish where arrangements were made. If you are interested in some pre-planning and picking out your final resting place, please call Tom in the parish office to set up a time to meet or to learn more. We have a handful of options for you depending on if you are looking at a traditional burial or a cremation. Choosing your final resting place is a first step in planning to make things easier for when death occurs. And, like just like everything else, doing something now will mean savings against future price increases due to increasing maintenance costs. Reach Tom at 320-252-1363, ext. 405. St. Francis Xavier is also going digital. At 75 years old the cemetery record book and the map are getting very hard to read. Time has a way of "fading' things. Our cemetery records are being photographed and digitized to save content and make it accessible going forward. The cemetery itself is getting photographed and mapped out for people to find whoever they are seeking. The map will be accessible by our website and by an app. It will show photos of graves sites along with maps to walk you right to the site you are seeking. We have a staff person who does most of the yardwork at the cemetery. He is respectful of gravesites and decorations, but we have rules that limit and guide decorating. We are thankful for all who abide by the regulations. We have a cemetery committee that includes dedicated volunteers who help with planning and maintaining the look of our cemetery. They volunteer their time for everything from cleaning up decorations that are out of compliance or at the end of the fall when it needs to be cleared until springtime. Cemetery committed members also help with debris pick-up in the wooded area as well as placing bronze memorials on the columbarium's. Thank you to Merv Cihlar, Dan Kurowski, Jim Miller, Bob Pogatshnik, and George Reisdorf. After Memorial Day and at the end of the season (just after November 1) there are major clean-up duties.
The rest of the year, there are small chores that come up. It is not an overwhelming responsibility. Again, contact Tom if you are interested in sharing your time in this way.