The Memorial Garden at Our Lady of the Rosary is a sacred and peaceful resting place for the cremated remains of our faithful departed. Nestled in the serenity of our church grounds, the Columbarium offers a dignified, reverent, and spiritually meaningful way to remain connected to the Church community in death as in life.
Rooted in Catholic tradition and approved by the Church, the Columbarium is a place of prayer, remembrance, and hope in the Resurrection. It reflects our belief in the sacredness of the human body and our desire to honor loved ones with respect and care.
Our Columbarium is available primarily to registered parishioners and their immediate families, and provides an enduring place of rest within the spiritual heart of the parish they loved and served. Below are answers to frequently asked questions about eligibility, cost, and the process of inurnment.
Are Columbarium’s approved by the Catholic
Church?
Yes, columbaria are approved as an eternal home for human cremains. It is preferred, however, that the Funeral Mass or Funeral Liturgy Outside Mass be celebrated in the presence of the body of the deceased prior to its cremation
Who can be interred here?
Registered Church members and immediate family members will be given priority. If available, other persons who are active members of the Catholic Church in other parishes of the Raleigh Diocese will be permitted to purchase niches.
What is the cost?
Currently, each niche costs $2,500, which includes a 15% Diocese endowment cost. Additional fees include niche inscription and urn purchase. Other fees may be charged for inscription changes, niche reopening, and replacement of the niche cover. Niche costs will be
reviewed annually and are subject to change.
Receipt of full payment for a niche will give the purchaser or the purchaser’s eligible designee the right to be inurned but does not convey ownership of any real estate or property.
What is the size of each niche and urn?
Each niche is approx. one cubic foot (11.5 x 11.5 x
11.5-inches) and will accommodate two urns of
approx. 6”W x 9”L x 4.5”H
Are there restrictions on inscription style and
decoration?
Yes, to maintain uniformity, the font and font size used are predetermined. Inscriptions shall consist of surnames and Christian names and dates of birth and death. No other decor besides the inscription are allowed with the exception of colored military appliques for branches of service (up to 2”) with approval.
May I choose the niche location I’d like within
the columbarium?
The purchaser or purchaser’s eligible designee has the right to request where the cremains are to be placed, but it will always be determined based on niche availability. Those who have paid in full for the lease of their niche may have priority selection.
Are pets permitted?
No. Only human cremains are permitted to be inurned in the columbarium.
Are fees related to reservation of a niche refundable under any circumstance?
The Church may repurchase a niche upon request of the owner, unless the niche is occupied, or the niche front has been engraved. The repurchase price will be 75% of the original niche price paid by the purchaser.