Office of Catholic Cemeteries
-
Announcements
-
-
Grave Blankets
We are sorry to announce that we are not selling Christmas grave blankets this year.
However, grave blankets are still welcome beginning the week of Thanksgiving and can be obtained locally, from vendors in your community.
We sincerely thank you for your past support and understanding, and we wish you and your families peace and comfort throughout the holiday season.
-
First Saturday Mass
Celebrated on the first Saturday of every month at 9am
Holy Cross - Chapel of the Blessed Virgin
Resurrection - Chapel of the Twelve Apostles
12/6 - 9 a.m. -
Fall Clean Up
Fall clean up of the cemeteries is taking place from October 27th - November 23rd. We kindly ask that any items not in compliance with our cemetery rules and regulations be removed.
We appreciate your cooperation in helping us prepare for winter. If you have any questions or need clarification on what should be removed and what can stay, please visit "Cemetery Decorations" on the Rules and Regulations page. If you have additional questions, please feel free to ask a member of the cemetery grounds crew or call the Office of Cemeteries. -
O Lord Support Us All The Day LongOh, Lord, support us all the day long, until the shadows lengthen and the evening comes, and the busy world is hushed, and the fever of life is over, and our work is done. Then in thy mercy grant us a safe lodging, and a holy rest, and peace at last. Amen.
- Saint John Henry Newman
-
Perspectives
Reposted from the original "Why Catholics Pray at Cemeteries" written by Julius Abogado, CMO, St. on August 23, 2025
For many people, cemeteries can feel like sad or even eerie places. For Catholics, cemeteries are sacred ground - a place of hope, prayer, and connection with the faithful departed. Far from being places of fear, cemeteries remind us of the truth of eternal life and the communion of Saints.
Respect for the Body
Catholics believe the human body is a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Even after death, the body retains dignity because it was once the dwelling place of the soul and will one day rise again at the resurrection. Praying at cemeteries honors this sacred truth.
Prayers for the Souls in Purgatory
One of the main reasons Catholics pray at cemeteries is to intercede for the souls of the faithful departed. The Church teaches that some souls, though saved, undergo purification in purgatory before entering Heaven (CCC 1030–1032). Our prayers, sacrifices, and indulgences can help speed their journey to God.
When we kneel at a grave and pray, we are offering love to those who can no longer pray for themselves.
A Reminder of Our Own Mortality
Visiting cemeteries is also a spiritual reminder: “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Far from being morbid, this helps us keep perspective. Life on earth is temporary; our true home is in Heaven. Cemeteries whisper the wisdom of eternity into our busy lives.
Communion of Saints
The Church teaches that the faithful on earth, the souls in purgatory, and the saints in Heaven are all united in the Body of Christ. When we pray at a cemetery, we stand in this communion—asking the saints in Heaven to intercede, praying for the souls being purified, and remembering that one day we too hope to join them in God’s glory.
Acts of Love and Mercy
Praying for the dead is one of the spiritual works of mercy. When we visit cemeteries and pray for loved ones—or even forgotten souls with no one to remember them—we practice Christian charity. St. John Chrysostom once said: “Let us help and commemorate them. If Job’s sons were purified by their father’s sacrifice, why would we doubt that our offerings for the dead bring them consolation?”
Conclusion: Cemeteries as Places of Hope
For Catholics, cemeteries are not merely about death—they are about resurrection. They are silent places of prayer, mercy, and hope, where we honor the dead, assist the souls in purgatory, and prepare our own hearts for eternal life.
Next time you walk through a cemetery, don’t be afraid. Instead, whisper a prayer for the souls resting there. It may be the prayer that helps lead them home to God.
Agbado, Julius, CMO, St., CATHOLIC SAINTS, "Why Catholics Pray at Cemeteries", 23, August 2025, 7:52a, Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/groups/29854930776102/posts/1997943094453373 -
Contact Us
Monday - Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Phone: 732-463-1424 or 1-800-943-8400
E-Mail: Cemeteries@diometuchen.org
Fax: (732) 463-8807
-
-
Our Cemeteries
-
Resurrection Burial ParkPiscataway, NJ
-
-
-
Holy Cross Burial ParkJamesburg, NJ
-
-
About Catholic Cemeteries
-
-
Catholic Cemeteries in the Diocese of Metuchen exist to meet the needs of individuals and families before, at the time of death and burial, and throughout bereavement. By setting aside a holy place for burial we provide a fitting environment for full liturgical celebrations. Just as in life, we believe that in death the human body deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. We also foster a type of remembering that is enlightened by faith and sees death as a bridge to the communion of saints. Our bonds with the believing are not broken by death.
Our cemeteries are places of prayer for the dead. By encouraging frequent visits of families and friends of the deceased, the Church seeks to foster an environment where love is remembered, hope rekindled, and faith awakened and strengthened. We are a people who come to our cemeteries to be reminded of our history, our Catholic beliefs and practices, and our community as identified in the various parishes of the Diocese of Metuchen. We, as a community, profess our beliefs and value system...even in the silence of the grave.
Painful as it might be, we encourage you to return to the burial place of your beloved. Find there, in the presence of those mortal remains, one joined with the communion of saints. Join with us in prayer for the eternal rest of your beloved deceased. In the stillness of the cemetery, connect with that great prayer of the early Church, "Maranatha" "Lord Jesus, come!"
-
-
-
Office of Cemeteries Staff
-
Edward Stevensestevensdiometuchen.orgDirector of Cemeteries
-
Anthony Agliataaagliatadiometuchen.orgSuperintendent of Cemeteries
-
Heather Kelcohkelcodiometuchen.orgOffice Manager
-
Carolyn Duartecduartediometuchen.orgMemorial Counselor
-
Sue McCooesmccooediometuchen.orgMemorial Counselor
-
-
-
Consolation Ministries & Bereavement
Several ministries are active in our Diocese for the support and comfort of the bereaved.
Please visit the Office of Family Life.
-
