Columbarium and  Memorial Garden

Eternal rest grant them, O Lord,
and let perpetual light shine on them.
 

If an individual makes the personal choice to be cremated, Our Lady of Lourdes offers a beautiful and peaceful columbarium to place your loved one's remains.  A columbarium is an arrangement of openings into which an urn, containing the cremated remains of the deceased loved one, is placed for permanent internment.  Our columbarium is a free standing structure containing 90 niches. 
 

Many people choose internment in a columbarium rather than burial in a cemetery because of a strong desire to be laid to rest on the grounds of the church that they loved and served.  Proximity also makes it convenient for visits by loved ones as well as for periods of meditation and reflection.  The Our Lady of Lourdes columbarium adjoins Our Lady's Grotto which is a lovely, private setting for grieving, prayer and meditation.   In addition, to console those in their time of sorrow, the columbarium is close to the Lord exposed in the Blessed Sacrament 24 hours a day in the Holy Family Perpetual Adoration Chapel.  The Adoration Chapel is wonderful for prayer and reflection and a haven during inclement weather.  Care of the grounds surrounding the columbarium is tastefully, continually and perpetually provided.

The cost of internment in our columbarium is usually considerably less than the cost of a burial at a cemetery.  Our cost is:

Niche Contains                    Parishioner      Non-parishioner
One person (e.g., one urn)        $2,200                    $4,400
Two persons (e.g., two urns)   $3,000                    $6,000
 
The price includes the niche, the urns, the engravings on the niche’s faceplate, opening and closing of the niche during internment, and the perpetual care of the environs of the columbarium.  These prices are subject to change and payment is required at the time of purchase.

The columbarium is intended primarily for Our Lady of Lourdes parishioners.  Therefore, any active registered members of the parish may purchase niches.  The purchaser, however, may inter family members who are not parishioners but this is limited to spouse, parents, grandparents, siblings, children and grandchildren.  The family members do not have to be Catholic.  The Pastor must approve any exceptions.

We do have a limited number of niches for non-parishioners that can be purchased by active and registered Catholics from other parishes with the consent of the Columbarium Committee.  There is an increased charge for non-parishioners.  The stipulations regarding internment of family members are the same for non-parishioners (see Frequently Asked Questions).

If you are interested in purchasing a niche or a memorial engraving, please contact the Parish office at
(919) 861-4600.

My spouse is not a Catholic and I want to be buried with my spouse. Are there any provisions  whereby we can be placed in the same niche?

 Yes. Each niche holds one or two urns. Your non-Catholic spouse may have a funeral rite at the columbarium and then be placed in your columbarium niche.  All internment liturgies, however, will be in keeping with Roman Catholic rites; exceptions require approval by the Pastor.

My family members are buried in another city.   Can I remember them at the site of Our Lady of Lourdes columbarium?
Yes.  A special tableau is provided on a wall adjacent to the columbarium and contains inscriptions that commemorate loved ones who may be interred elsewhere with a display of the name of the deceased.  These are known as “memorial engravings.” New engravings are cut prior to an annual ceremony on All Souls Day (November 2 ^nd) that honors those who are remembered at the columbarium.  The price of memorial engraving is $300 for a parishioner and $500 for a non-parishioner.

I purchased a niche to accommodate one person.  If I later decide to add another person, can I do so?
Yes, assuming the second person meets the qualifications previously described.  You will be charged the difference between the price you paid for the one-person niche and the price of the two-person niche that is in effect at the time you purchase it.
 
May more than two people be interred in a niche?
No.  There is not sufficient space within a niche for more than two urns.
 
May I supply my own urn?
No.  The urn is included in the cost of the purchase of the niche.   The urn meets the standards of worthiness set down by the U.S. Bishop’s Committee and is appropriately sized to fit inside the niche.
 
What happens if I purchase a niche in the columbarium, then move away?
As long as no remains have been interred in the niche, your original purchase price, less any incurred expenses, will be refunded.
 
May I decorate the area near my niche with flowers? 
The columbarium site will be perpetually maintained in a manner designed to be beautiful, serene, holy, and edifying.   It is requested that you do not add additional floral arrangements, flags, statues, or other decorations.

How are niches assigned?
The niches are assigned in sequential order.  However, you may request a specific niche and it will be assigned to you if it has not already been purchased.