Sacred Heart Parish has a beautiful cemetery conveniently located just a mile north of our church, on Fancher Street. Calvary Cemetery is a well-maintained, peaceful setting for our loved-one's final resting place here on earth.
Calvary Cemetery was established by Sacred Heart Parish over 100 years ago "as a sacred place for the interment of the bodies of our deceased parishioners and friends and as a place for remembrance and prayer for those who are buried there and for all our deceased loved ones.” From the time of the earliest burials there in the 1880's until today, Calvary Cemetery has been an important part of our parish ministry.
In recent years, Calvary Cemetery has been renovated. The building that serves as the chapel and storage area for maintenance equipment was enlarged. The added space is now used for the tractors, lawn mowers and other maintenance equipment needed for the cemetery grounds. The chapel can be used for committal services during the winter and at other times of inclement weather. It has been repainted and carpeted. A "pieta" statue and new wall hangings have also been added to create a more welcoming and prayerful atmosphere in this space.
A 14-foot crucifix graces the "mound" near the center of the cemetery. Many people have asked about the original purpose of mounds like this that are often found in many older cemeteries. It is said that people used to place flowers, flags and other decorations on these mounds for certain holidays during the year. The mound seemed to be an ideal place for a crucifix since our cemetery is named after the mountain on which our Savior died for us: Mt.Calvary.
The old storage shed in the northwest corner has been removed and a small grotto with a statue of "Jesus and the Children" was built in that area. Bodies of many infants have been buried in that part of the cemetery over the years for families that did not have burial plots of their own or markers to record the names of these little ones. The grotto and a special statue serve as a memorial for all of the children buried at Calvary Cemetery.
Other improvements being planned for the cemetery include the completion of our computerized cemetery program that will make it easier for families to locate the graves of their loved ones. Burial plots are available at reasonable prices for parishioners and friends who want to plan ahead. Calvary Cemetery is a precious part of Sacred Heart history that should always be cherished.