I am a stranger and a sojourner with you. Give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight. Genesis 23:3-5
The Cemetery is located on the East side of the Lake Leelaanau Narrows and about 1 mile South on Lake Leelanau Drive (Rte 641). St Mary Cemetery documents are maintained by the parish secretery and several volunteers. We allow both parishioners and non-parishioners as well as non-Catholics to be buried in our cemetery. The Cemetery was originally located on the school campus grounds where the current playground is located. In 19XX, the cemetery and all is contents were moved to it’s current location with a larger capaity for our families and future Lake Leelanau families.
The Cemetery is comprised of 4 Blocks, in each block a variety of Lots (from 30-45), and in each block, 16 to 21 plots, or grave sites. A white marble altar is in the middle facing Lake Leelanau Drive (West). Block 1 is in the NW quadrant, Block 2 is n the NE quadrant, Block 3 is in the SW qaudrant and Block 4 is in the SE quadrant. See the attached diagram.
Purchasing a gravesite is one of the last things families think to provide for themselves until there becomes a need. Many times, grave sites are purchased when either one of the spouses passes away. Generally two plots are purchased, one for the deceased and one for future use. In the past, larger families would purchase a whole lot, 16 gravesites, for their whole family. Today, the Catholic Church allows cremation as a way of final internment. St Mary Cemetery policy allows 4 cremains to one gravesite or one vault and one urn with cremains. To purchase a grave site in the St Mary Cemetery, please see the contract attached below.
Does your family own cemetery plots? Has a family member purchased plots for the whole family? Who’s name are they in? Do you no longer have a need for the plots purchased by family over a generation ago? We can easily re-assign the plots to other family member that may choose to use them in the future. You may also donate the plots back to the church. Or, you may re-sell the plots to a third party. Please print the form below, filling in all of the names and plot information. Submit originals to St Mary Parish and distribute copies to all family members for their records.
Father Michael will meet with the decedants family to help plan the funeral. Preparing a funeral includes many decisions. Choosing readings, Lectors, Eucharstic Ministers, atlar servers and paul barrers, if you prefer a procession to the cemetery and if/or where to host a luncheon following the funeral are just a few of the questions a family will have to decide. These can be challenging questions during berevement if no prefernces have been shared. If you and your family members wish to pre-plan their funerals, we can acommodate your wishes prior to an illness. Do you have a favorite passage from the bible? Are there family members willing to serve on your behalf? Those prefereces can be recorded and held until there is a need. The FUNERAL INFORMATION document below is a list of questions Father Michael would ask in the family when preparing the funeral.
St Mary Funeral Luncheon Committee is a Ministry of volunteers who help prepare and serve a light meal after the completion of a funeral service. It takes place in the Social Hall beneath the church. The family can opt to have the luncheon at St Mary Church or elsewhere. Our committee chaorperson will contact the family directly. The family will need to decicde and answer questions in order for the volunteers to prepare an adequate amount of food. St Mary parishioners usually also make donations to the funeral lunch committee in the form of baked goods and various desserts. The cost to the family and all other information is found on the FUNERAL LUNCHEON document.
St. Mary of the Assumption Catholic Church 