Morbid Curiosity...catholic Cemetery Question.

[HisChildForever]

If you're Catholic, do you have to be buried in a Catholic cemetery? Or the Catholic section of a cemetery? Furthermore, what if a Catholic spouse has a Protestant, Jewish, or Muslim spouse - and they would like to have their graves side-by-side?

 

I just saw a cool picture on Pinterest which made me think:

 

 

Caption: Grave of a Catholic woman and her Protestant husband. The Protestant Colonel of Cavalry, JWC of Gorkum married the Catholic damsel JCPH of Aefferden. This "mixed" marriage, at that time (the 19th century), would have given them trouble. The wife wanted to be buried next to her husband, but the difference in their denomination would not allow that. So the Colonel was buried in the Protestant part, against the separation wall and his wife was buried on the Catholic side.

[TeDeum]

As far as I know you can be buried in a non-Catholic cemetery, as long as a priest blesses the grave site.

[TeDeum]

Um.. what happened to my profile picture?

 

EDIT: Never mind, lol

Edited March 6, 2013 by TeDeum

[GeorgiiMichael]

The same thing that happened to everyone's profile picture.

[HisChildForever]

As far as I know you can be buried in a non-Catholic cemetery, as long as a priest blesses the grave site.

 

Does that apply for both secular and other-religion cemeteries?

[TeDeum]

I found this:

 

Can.  1180

§1. If a parish has its own cemetery, the deceased members of the faithful must be buried in it unless the deceased or those competent to take care of the burial of the deceased have chosen another cemetery legitimately.

§2. Everyone, however, is permitted to choose the cemetery of burial unless prohibited by law.

 

Can.  1240 §1. Where possible, the Church is to have its own cemeteries or at least areas in civil cemeteries that are designated for the deceased members of the faithful and properly blessed.

§2. If this cannot be achieved, however, then individual graves are to be properly blessed.

 

Source: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/jimmy-akin/can-catholics-be-buried-in-non-catholic-cemeteries

 

So it looks like you can be buried anywhere as long as it's a) legal to be buried there and b) blessed by a priest first.

 

Edited March 6, 2013 by TeDeum

[HisChildForever]

Thanks :)

[Nihil Obstat]

Funny story which is unrelated to the OP, but related to Catholic cemeteries.
 
So in the late 1800s, there was this Montreal politician, Joseph Guilbord, who had pushed pretty hard to reduce the influence of the Church in Quebec society, and was subsequently excommunicated by Bishop Ignace Bourget. And also refused Communion on at least one occasion, according to what I am reading right now.

When Guilbord died, his widow wanted him buried in the Catholic cemetery, which Bishop Ignace would not allow due to the excommunication. He would allow this guy to be buried in the unconsecrated area for criminals, but not in one of the consecrated plots. The case went to court, and the court ruled that Bishop Ignace could not refuse the burial, that to do so would amount to defamation. So they ordered him to let Guilbord be buried in the cemetery, and ordered Ignace to pay court costs.

So Bishop Ignace goes out into the cemetery, after this ruling, and deconsecrates the plot that has been set aside for Guilbord. Then he gives all employees of the diocese the day off work so that they could go throw rocks at the hearse as it brought Guilbord's body to the cemetery. After the burial, Bishop Ignace went again and declared that the plot was “under an interdict and separate from the rest of the cemetery.”

 

 

Later appeals ended up ruling that the Church has the sole authority to decide if someone can be buried in their cemeteries, and this remains the binding precedent.

 

 

Problem, officer?

Edited March 6, 2013 by Nihil Obstat

[PhuturePriest]

Funny story which is unrelated to the OP, but related to Catholic cemeteries.
 
So in the late 1800s, there was this Montreal politician, Joseph Guilbord, who had pushed pretty hard to reduce the influence of the Church in Quebec society, and was subsequently excommunicated by Bishop Ignace Bourget. And also refused Communion on at least one occasion, according to what I am reading right now.

When Guilbord died, his widow wanted him buried in the Catholic cemetery, which Bishop Ignace would not allow due to the excommunication. He would allow this guy to be buried in the unconsecrated area for criminals, but not in one of the consecrated plots. The case went to court, and the court ruled that Bishop Ignace could not refuse the burial, that to do so would amount to defamation. So they ordered him to let Guilbord be buried in the cemetery, and ordered Ignace to pay court costs.

So Bishop Ignace goes out into the cemetery, after this ruling, and deconsecrates the plot that has been set aside for Guilbord. Then he gives all employees of the diocese the day off work so that they could go throw rocks at the hearse as it brought Guilbord's body to the cemetery. After the burial, Bishop Ignace went again and declared that the plot was “under an interdict and separate from the rest of the cemetery.”

 

 

Later appeals ended up ruling that the Church has the sole authority to decide if someone can be buried in their cemeteries, and this remains the binding precedent.

 

 

Problem, officer?

 

I'm not sure I'm in support of throwing rocks at a hearse, but it's an interesting story.

[Nihil Obstat]

I'm not sure I'm in support of throwing rocks at a hearse, but it's an interesting story.

Well, Bishop Ignace did not tell them to throw rocks at the hearse. But he ordered that they all get the day off, and if they wanted to go protest the unjust court ruling, then I guess that is their right as citizens...

[HisChildForever]

How does a plot become unconsecrated??

[Nihil Obstat]

How does a plot become unconsecrated??

I have to guess that it is similar to how a church might be de-consecrated in order to sell it for non-religious use. There is probably something in the Rituale regarding the process.

[Gabriela]

To the OP: Thank you so much for sharing that picture and the story behind it. It's very touching! :-)