HOLY GROUND

The Catholic Church reserves two places here on earth: those destined for divine worship, and those set apart for the burial of the faithful. St. Mary of Pine Bluff Catholic Church has been fulfilling its corporal and spiritual works of mercy since August 1854 — care for the dead and comfort for the living.  The Church is committed to being a vigilant steward of this holy ground. Located atop a hill north of the church, the cemetery, and the people of God it holds,  are a testament to the Communion of Saints and the Hope of the Resurrection. 

CATHOLIC BURIAL

The final expression of our Catholic faith is sacred burial in the blessed grounds of a Catholic cemetery. The Catholic cemetery is a ministry of the Church, and burial of the faithful dead is a Corporal Work of Mercy.

At baptism we are clothed in Christ and joined into the mystery of His death and Resurrection. In death, the Catholic Cemetery holds us in sacred trust as we await the resurrection of the body. It is a place of hope and a final expression of what we profess at Mass in the Nicene Creed: “We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.”

In his first letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul says Jesus Christ’s resurrection is “the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.” His use of the term “asleep” is significant. The English derivative of that word is from the Latin “cimiterium,” which means “sleeping place.” 

The Catholic cemetery is also a ministry of consolation to the living. In beautiful and reverent surroundings, loved ones of the deceased can come to pray, to remember and to hope. In this way the Catholic cemetery carries out the Spiritual Works of Mercy to comfort the afflicted, and pray for the living and the dead.

Committal of the body in burial is the final rite in the Christian Order of Funerals. It is a powerful reflection of faith and hope – for the deceased and the living.

Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in Heaven.”    –Roman Missal