St. Patrick Cemetery Regulations
St. Patrick Cemetery is consecrated by the Roman Catholic Church as a place of burial - a sacred place.
We will comply with the guidelines, policies, rules and regulations of the Diocese of Norwich Cemetery Corporation as our unique parish cemetery allows. Strict observance of St. Patrick Cemetery Regulations is required.
- In compliance with the Diocese regulations in order to maintain a non-profit status, you (or your spouse) must be Catholic in order to be buried in St. Patrick Cemetery and the purchase must be in the Catholic's name.
- The treatment and care of lots and the erection of monument work shall be subject to the general supervision and approval of the Cemetery management and to such rules and regulations as the Cemetery Board of Directors may approve for the future welfare and appearance of St. Patrick Cemetery.
- Unless special permission is granted, all work done within St. Patrick Cemetery will be done by Cemetery employees only.
- No burials or interments may be made without first contacting the St. Patrick Cemetery personnel or members of the Cemetery Board. Graves are to be ten feet long, four feet wide, and six feet deep. Cremains must be buried a minimum of two feet deep. All interments are for human remains only. All remains must be in a casket (coffin) and then contained in a metal or concrete vault. Wooden outer containers are not permitted. Cremains must be in an urn or metal container such as received from a funeral director. The container may be buried in an existing grave.
- While every effort will be made to protect purchasers from personal property loss, St. Patrick Cemetery does not assume responsibility for such loss, natural deterioration or vandalism.
- The size and design of all memorial work must meet Cemetery specifications (Single lot 3' high x 3' wide: Double lot 3 'high x 6' wide; flush markers 12 X 24"). Approval for memorial design must be obtained from the PASTOR before placing the order. All memorial designs MUST be of a religious nature to reflect the fact that this is a Roman Catholic Cemetery.
- No permanent grave marker or memorial may be placed on the plot(s) until full payment is made for the plot(s). Each grave may hold either 1 casket & 1 cremain (without a vault) OR 4 cremains and may have either 1 upright marker OR 4 flat markers.
- The planting of trees, shrubs and flowers in the ground is NOT PERMITTED and they will be cut if they interfere with regular landscaping maintenance. Landscaping materials of any kind are not permitted and will be removed during regular landscaping maintenance.
- Grave decorations are limited to ONE DISPLAY PER LOT. ONE Shepherds hook is permitted but must be placed FLUSH with the marker and the plant must hang over the marker and MUST NOT extend more than 10 inches from the monument. Appropriate photos of deceased/family, not to exceed 4"X6" are allowed. Other photos, as well as the words Perpetual Care and similar phrases are not permitted on memorial work. Articles such as glass jars, seats, statues, lights, and bric-a-brac of any description are NOT ALLOWED and will be removed without notice. (During the summer season - artificial flowers are not allowed). In the event of natural deterioration of grave containers, and/or decorations, the Cemetery management will remove these grave containers as their condition warrants.
- The schedule for memorial decorations is as follows:
(a) WINTER SEASON: DECEMBER 1 TO MARCH 1 (greens, artificial flowers appropriate to the season)
(b) SUMMER SEASON: MARCH 1 TO DECEMBER 1 (live flowers)
11. All grave decorations are to be removed by family members by the following dates or they will be removed by cemetery personnel:
(a) END OF WINTER SEASON: MARCH 1
(b) END OF SUMMER SEASON: DECEMBER 1
(c) WITHIN TWO WEEKS OF MEMORIAL DAY
12. The Cemetery will remove all floral pieces three days following the interment service.
Revised 7-2021