Resurrection Catholic Cemetery

01/13/2026

Why are eulogies not allowed during the funeral Mass?

Eulogies have their place: at the wake before or after the Vigil, graveside before or after Committal, at the funeral luncheon, or printed in the funeral program or parish bulletin. And eulogies have their purpose: to honor the deceased, share our stories, and express our grief.

The funeral Mass, along with the Vigil and the Committal, are liturgical prayers of the Church which celebrate the mercy won for us by Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross, and which seek to apply that mercy especially to the deceased. Anything that distracts from that intense, prayerful focus on Christ’s mercy is excluded, and can be considered an injustice toward the deceased for whom we are praying. The Church has taught in several places – the General Instruction of the Roman Missal (382) and the Order of Christian Funerals (141) – that eulogies are specifically excluded from funeral Masses. This is not to say that eulogies are bad, but rather that their place is not within the liturgy.

Have a question for the Director of Cemeteries? Send it to Damian.lenshek@madisondiocese.org and your question may be featured in the next installment of Down to Earth.

11/14/2025

All in the diocese are welcome to this month's Third Friday Mass at Resurrection Cemetery next Friday, November 21 at 10:00 am! This Mass is a wonderful way to pray for those who are buried in our Catholic cemeteries, especially during this month dedicated to the holy souls in Purgatory. Please join us!

11/02/2025

November 2 is observed as the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed, or All Souls Day. Today, the Church asks us to pray for the holy souls in Purgatory.

All Souls Day and the first week of November come with special opportunities to receive indulgences for the holy souls in Purgatory, meaning the temporal punishment for their sins is remitted and they can enter swiftly into Heaven. On November 2, you can pray an Our Father and the Creed for the dead in a church or chapel. And between November 1 and November 8, you can pray for the dead in a cemetery. The usual conditions for indulgences (receiving the Eucharist, going to Confession within 20 days, praying for the intentions of the pope, and detachment from sin) also must be met; if any of them are lacking, the indulgence given is partial rather than plenary.

May the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

11/01/2025

10/10/2025

All are welcome to our monthly Third Friday Mass at Resurrection Cemetery on October 17 at 10:00 am! This special Mass is offered for all who are buried in our Catholic cemeteries. Msgr. Uppena, a retired priest of our diocese, will celebrate the Mass this month.

10/03/2025

Submit your best photo from a Catholic cemetery to help us celebrate Catholic Cemeteries Week, October 31 - November 6.

When: Photos must be taken before October 30, 2025. Submission Deadline is October 30. Submissions will be accepted starting October 1, 2025.

Where: Any Catholic cemetery. There are two categories especially for cemeteries within the Diocese of Madison.

Who: Everyone is invited to submit their best shot.

Prizes: Winning entries will be featured in the Catholic Herald, and the winners will be invited to a private dinner with Bishop Hying.

Submit your best photo from a Catholic cemetery to help us celebrate Catholic Cemeteries Week, October 31 - November 6. When: Photos must be taken before October 30, 2025. Submission Deadline is October 30. Submissions will be accepted starting October 1, 2025.

10/01/2025

https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/the-catholic-history-of-praying-for

The practice of praying for the souls of the departed has been a part of Christianity from the early centuries of the Church.

09/23/2025

Bring cremated remains to the cemetery. Register now:

At Mount Olivet Cemetery in Janesville, on November 2 at 3pm.Included servicesPerpetual record-keeping is included for all participants.Perpetual care of the cemetery is included for all participants.Registration requiredRegistration by October 24 is required for guaranteed participation. After Octo...

06/12/2025

https://youtu.be/MjEXdovDVSo?si=4oEB7ZjViGfCCTcN

Can Catholics be cremated? Is cremation a natural or fitting repsonse to a person's death? What does the Church say, and what did the Church used to say?Kati...

06/05/2025

You are invited to join us for Mass on June 20th at 10am in the cemetery chapel.

05/22/2025

Why do things cost so much at the cemetery?

The main reason burial is so expensive is that the cemetery is committing to maintaining your grave until Jesus returns. If that happens tomorrow, the expense won’t matter that much. If it happens in 10,000 years, you’ll have gotten the best deal ever on lawn mowing.

That said, some Catholic cemeteries offer different options at different price points. And some cemeteries are able to offer need-based assistance. Sometimes those who have purchased graves decide to be buried elsewhere, and return them to the cemetery for use by the indigent. This is a beautiful way of participating in the corporal work of mercy of burying the dead.

Bigger picture, if American cemeteries adopted the European model of term graves, where you don’t have a permanent resting place but get maybe 50 years before the cemetery re-sells your grave, costs could be significantly reduced. And some solution like that will be needed eventually. Otherwise, in 200,000 years, the earth will be totally covered with graves with no room for farmland.

Have a question for the Director of Cemeteries? Send it to Damian.lenshek@madisondiocese.org and your question may be featured in the next installment of Down to Earth.