It is intended to create a beautifully landscaped memorial garden on the south side of the church, between the presbytery and the sacristy. The existing out-building at the rear of the presbytery will be demolished and replaced with a wall. The garden itself has been designed by a professional landscape architect and will be planted with shrubs, trees and hedging. There will be two lawned areas reserved for the interment of cremated remains and they will provide space for the interment of nearly 700 caskets. The plots will remain unmarked, although the parish will be in possession of a plan which will clearly locate where each set of remains is buried. This will ensure that the appearance of a garden is retained, rather that turning this area into the usual garden of remembrance to be found in cemeteries and churchyards. A curved memorial wall of Portland stone will be erected within the garden upon which will be inscribed the following words:
GIVE YOUR SERVANTS A PLACE OF PEACE AND REST WHERE THE WORLD OF DUST AND ASHES HAS NO DOMINION.
The words come from the Catholic rite for the interment of ashes. Beneath the inscription will be placed the names of all whose remains are interred there. All inscriptions will be done by hand by a professional letter cutter.
Each grave plot will have space for two caskets buried one on top of the other. It will be mandatory that cremated remains are buried in an eco-friendly casket made of wicker, sea grass, or cane. The parish will take care of all arrangements relating to the interment including provision of the casket, the digging and backfilling of the grave and the placing of an inscription on the wall. Following the funeral the cremated remains should be delivered to the parish in a simple container supplied by the crematorium. No wooden caskets will be accepted and no fee for the interment should be paid to the funeral director. This will be a strictly “in house” arrangement between parish and family. A fee has yet to be set but will be announced before the memorial garden is dedicated. Work will begin early in 2010 and will be completed by next May. Arrangements will be made for Archbishop Bernard Longley or Bishop William Kenney to perform the rite of dedication and it will then be possible for ashes to be buried. Each year a Requiem Mass will be offered for the repose of the souls interred there, and the graves will be blessed during the month of the Holy Souls.
If you require further information then please feel free to speak to Fr. Paul. A plan of the memorial garden is available for inspection in the porch.
During the week beginning the 22nd March work began on the Memorial Garden with the clearing of existing vegetation and the demolition of a redundant outbuilding next to the church. Regular updates on the progress of the work will be posted on the website over the coming weeks.
