N.O. Catholic Cemeteries to host national event

Above: Andrew Nguyen’s photograph of an angelic guardian at St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery No. 1 earned first prize in this year’s photography contest sponsored by New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries (NOCC). The contest, now in its fifth year, was created to foster appreciation for the Archdiocese of New Orleans’ 13 historic Catholic burial grounds. Twelve winning photos are featured annually in a wall calendar produced by NOCC  every autumn.

New Orleans Catholic Cemeteries (NOCC), which manages and operates the archdiocese’s 13 historic burial grounds, will play host next month to the 74th annual convention of the Catholic Cemetery Conference. About 300 Catholic cemetery directors and staff representing the United States and Canada are expected to attend the event, set for Sept. 25-28 at the Hilton Riverside.

This year’s convention, featuring the theme “Rejoice, for God’s Spirit Dwells in Us,” marks the fourth time New Orleans will be hosting the conference; previous ones were held here in 1969, 1981 and 1993.

Highlights of the gathering of Catholic cemetery directors will include:

• On Sept. 26: A Welcoming Mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in New Orleans concelebrated by Archbishop Gregory Aymond, principal celebrant; and Oblate Father Anthony Rigoli, Our Lady of Guadalupe’s pastor. After Mass, congregants will walk across Basin Street for a tour of St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, New Orleans’ oldest operating cemetery, founded in 1789. A tour of St. Roch Cemetery No. 1 and its recently restored Gothic chapel will take place after lunch. Later that evening, a ribbon-cutting ceremony will officially open the vendors’ exhibition.

• On Sept. 27: Attendees will have an opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation, followed by breakfast and the Memorial Rose Mass celebrated by Tucson Bishop-emeritus Gerald Kicanas. Msgr. William Baver, the conference’s president and the director of cemeteries for the Diocese of Allentown, Pennsylvania, will deliver the president’s address. The convention’s keynote, “The Christian Perspective on Business, Hope and Purpose,” will be delivered by Deacon Larry Oney of Divine Mercy Church in Kenner. General and small-group sessions will follow on topics including cemetery endowment funds and IT initiatives, the importance of having a disaster recovery plan and keys to successful cemetery development.

• On Sept. 28: Morning access to the sacrament of reconciliation and adoration will be followed by presentations on cemetery-related concerns such as consumer preferences, aftercare (outreach to the families of the bereaved following the burial of their loved ones), crematory projects and a panel discussion. An open-mic opportunity will give members a chance to provide input to the board of directors. The convention’s concluding Mass will be celebrated by Msgr. Baver, with a banquet and awards recognition ceremony to follow.

• To give back to the host city of New Orleans, conventioneers will be invited to participate in a “Sunrise Walk” fundraiser on the mornings of Sept. 27 and 28. Proceeds will benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. 

Beneficial meetings

The Catholic Cemetery Conference held its first convention in Chicago in 1949 to provide fellowship, spiritual guidance and professional support to those involved in the Catholic ministry enshrined in one of the corporal works of mercy – to bury the dead, said Sherri Peppo, NOCC’s executive director since 2014.
Peppo said she has brought home numerous ideas through her association with the conference. For example, upon seeing booklets other dioceses were producing to help Catholics prepare for their own funerals and interments, Peppo and her staff created the “Catholic Funeral Planning Guide” (pictured at left) specifically for those planning burials in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The complimentary guide enables individuals to record their wishes in a series of comprehensive checklists that asks them everything from their favorite Mass readings, to the location of their insurance and financial papers, to whether or not they want to wear their wedding ring during the visitation.

Peppo’s association with the conference also inspired her to expand NOCC’s aftercare program to include sending anniversary, birthday and Christmas cards to families of the deceased a year after the burial of their loved one.

“It’s been good for me to see what other archdiocesan cemeteries are doing, even though some of them are much bigger operations than ours,” Peppo said.

On the flip side, New Orleans remains a popular destination for out-of-town cemetery professionals eager to visit our area’s large trove of above-ground tombs – and learn about their unique restoration needs.

Peppo shared some other recent news from NOCC:

• A new mausoleum has been constructed at St. Charles Cemetery in Luling, while a niche-style columbarium is nearing completion at the site.

• NOCC’s annual photography contest, designed to foster the public’s appreciation of our historic Catholic cemeteries, recently completed its fifth year. The winning photos are incorporated into a complimentary wall calendar that is available from NOCC every autumn (while supplies last).

• Cemetery beautification projects geared toward enhancing the peaceful atmosphere at Catholic cemeteries include the installation of flower gardens, trees, benches and statues at various sites. At St. Joseph Cemetery No. 2, chain link fencing was replaced with more attractive wrought iron.

• NOCC, with the assistance of interns, volunteers and students from local universities, is conducting an ongoing digitization program involving the GIS (geographic information system) mapping of every tomb in the city’s Catholic cemeteries. The project’s goal is to provide electronic access to information on details such as a tomb’s location, style, building materials and familial connections. The technology will allow cemetery visitors to search digital maps in real-time, while on location. 

To date, digital mapping has been completed at St. Patrick Nos. 1, 2 and 3; and St. Louis Nos. 2 and 3; is nearing completion at St. Vincent de Paul No. 1; and is set to begin shortly at St. Joseph No. 1.

The information ultimately will be published through a link on the NOCC website, where it will be available for viewing by the public on their computers and smartphones. The maps will be made available once all of the cemetery mapping is finalized.

Sign up for NOCC’s monthly digital newsletter at nolacatholiccemeteries.org.

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