Office of Catholic Cemeteries

Our belief in earthly death as the entrance into eternity, our hope in the resurrection, our reverence for the body which remains, and our Christian love of neighbor calls us to exercise great care in the burial of the dead and to extend consolation to the living. In our exercise of the corporal work of mercy of burying the dead we show reverence for the body which was the temple of the Spirit.

The Christian care with which we exercise our pastoral responsibility for the burial of the dead and our administrative responsibilities for the care of our Catholic cemeteries is a witness of our Gospel faith. Our Catholic cemeteries assure the orderly burial of the body, the continued care of the site of burial, and help to hold the deceased in our memory and prayers. The Church has always considered the Catholic cemetery to be a holy place in which reverence and respect are given to the remains of the faithful departed. The Catholic cemetery is a place of devotion and of prayer for the souls of the departed.

We wish to provide the local Church with appropriately updated and revised Cemetery Regulations that will assist you in the administration and care of our Catholic cemeteries. You can view the Diocese of Winona-Rochester Cemetery Regulations and the Cemetery Regulations for Lot Holders.

This booklet has been prepared for the purpose of clearing up the confusion, as well as possible, and with the hope that it may help our lot owners to avoid difficulties or confusion.

Questions can be forwarded to: Mr. Larry Dose, Director of Catholic Cemeteries

Cemeteries Newsletter

The latest issue of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester's Cemeteries Newsletter, "The Arimathean," can be viewed, downloaded and/or printed at this link.

Cemeteries Workshops

2023 Witnesses to Hope Cemetery Workshops

Click Here for Brochure

The workshops will be conducted at:

Church of the Resurrection - Rochester 8:30 am-1:00 pm | Thursday September 21, 2023

Virtual Meeting - on Zoom 10 am-12 pm | Wednesday October 4, 2023

St. Ann's Catholic Church - Slayton 12:30-4:30 pm | Thursday October 5, 2023

 

Cemeteries Workshop Videos from 2021,2022 and 2023

here Video of 2023 workshop  

Passcode: K#8xYP@s 

video is now available of the Catholic Cemeteries Workshop held at Resurrection Church in Rochester on 9-7-2022.

Video of the workshop held in Winona on 9-9-2021 can be viewed here.

Cemetery Locations

A Cemetery Locations directory is now available.

 

Cemetery Rules, Regulations & Resources

 

• Rules and Regulations for Grave Owners
• Cemetery Regulations for Lot Holders
• How to Plan a Catholic Funeral
• Cremation: What Catholics Should Know
• Statement from USCCB: Alkaline Hydrolysis

 

Annual Cemetery Report

• 2023-2024 Cemetery Spreadsheet XLSX
• 2023-2024 Cemetery Spreadsheet PDF
   

Form Samples (listed alphabetically)

• Affidavit for Title Transfer (docx)
• Affidavit for Title Transfer (pdf)
• Agreement of Sale of Grave(s) (docx)
• Agreement of Sale of Grave(s) (pdf)
• Agreement to Transfer (docx)
• Agreement to Transfer (pdf)
• Cemetery Easement Forms (docx)
• Cemetery Easement Forms (pdf)
• Cemetery Interment Order Form (docx)
• Cemetery Interment Order Form (pdf)
• Interment Card
• Letter to Affidavit for Title Transfer (docx)
• Letter to Affidavit for Title Transfer (pdf)
• Letter to Agreement of Sale of Grave(s) (docx)
• Letter to Agreement of Sale of Grave(s) (pdf)
• Letter to Lot Grave Transfer Form (docx)
• Letter to Lot Grave Transfer Form (pdf)
• Letter to Quitclaim Form (docx)
• Letter to Quitclaim Form (pdf)
• Letter to Trust Deed (docx)
• Letter to Trust Deed (pdf)
• Locator Map Information
• Lost Deed Statement (docx)
• Lost Deed Statement (pdf)
• Lot Card
• Lot Diagram (2, 3 & 4 Grave Lots)
• Lot Diagram (6 Grave Lots)
• Lot Diagram (8 Grave Lots)
• Lot Diagram (10 Grave Lots)
• Lot Diagram (12 Grave Lots)
• Lot Grave Transfer Form (docx)
• Lot Grave Transfer Form (pdf)
• Next of Kin Register (docx)
• Next of Kin Register (pdf)
• Original Entry Form (docx)
• Original Entry Form (pdf)
• Petition for Disinterment (docx)
• Petition for Disinterment (pdf)
• Quitclaim Form (docx)
• Quitclaim Form (pdf)
• Trust Deed (docx)
• Trust Deed (pdf)
  Trust Deed (pdf)