Our History

The history of the Catholic cemetery in the United States is rich with testimonies of a variety of approaches to theology and mission. From colonial times the Church has been accustomed to providing its own separate burial grounds in a pluralistic society.

On Long Island, with origins in the small parish churchyard since the 1850’s, the parish cemetery has grown to include cemeteries that have been administered and shared by several parishes in the same area to the larger diocesan cemeteries.

In the 1930s larger cemeteries were designed to serve entire counties that were administered by a diocesan structure, at first under the auspices of the Brooklyn Diocese. Although the Diocese of Rockville Centre was formed in 1957, management of the Cemetery of the Holy Rood and Holy Sepulchre Cemetery was not turned over to the newly formed Diocese until 1961, and a Diocesan Director of Cemeteries was appointed. Bishop Kellenberg, the first Bishop of the Diocese, further expanded that role in 1969 to include the administration of the care funds of the twenty-one parish cemeteries of the Diocese. Since then, the Office of Catholic Cemeteries has been a resource for the parishes for administrative policies and grounds development.

Likewise, the role of Catholic Cemeteries has evolved. In earlier times the emphasis for burial in the Catholic cemetery was on the consecrated ground of the cemetery and the Communion of Saints awaiting resurrection. Access to burial in the Catholic cemetery was strictly controlled and carefully administered. Today, those involved in cemetery ministry are called to work toward the understanding of the healing ministry and spiritual growth that is able to be exercised through the Catholic cemeteries, both parish and diocesan.

As growth in understanding of this ministry takes place, those involved are committed to an obligation to share new images and awareness with the people of God. As an Easter people, we live in hope of the Resurrection, as we try to grasp the understanding of the Paschal Mystery, that from death comes life.