VISITING THE CEMETERY
When visiting the Cemetery, please schedule your visit within posted hours. Gates will close promptly at the posted closing time.
CEMETERY GROUNDS are open 365 days a year, including holidays, during the hours listed below.
March 1st - October 15th Monday - Sunday 8:00 am - 7:00 pm
October 16th - February 28th Monday - Sunday 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
INDOOR MAUSOLEUMS (at All Saints, Queen of Heaven and Resurrection Cemeteries) are open during the hours listed below.
March 1st - October 15th Monday - Sunday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm
October 16th - February 28th Monday - Sunday 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
OFFICE HOURS are listed below.
Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 4:00 pm
Saturday 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Sunday Closed
The following are not allowed on Cemetery grounds:
- Picnics, parties, or celebrations
- Alcoholic beverages
- Coolers
- Grilling
- Tents or canopies
- Lawn games
- Loud or live music
- Firearms of weapons
- Unlicensed vehicles
- Pets roaming free.
Cemetery Etiquette
RESPECT OTHER VISITORS
Cemeteries are a sacred place of prayer and reflection, many who visit are mourning the loss of a loved one. Please do NOT cause a disturbance and conduct yourself respectfully at all times.
DRIVE RESPONSIBLY
For your safety and the safety of other visitors, please remain alert on Cemetery roads. Obey the posted signs and speed limits, watch for visitors and Cemetery staff. Do NOT try to cut through a funeral procession.
Additional Cemetery Etiquette
- Dress accordingly. Please wear proper attire and be fully clothed at all times.
- Refrain from filming/photographing people and any identifying names/dates on markers and monuments. For editorial or commercial requests, please contact the Cemetery office.
- Refrain from walking over graves or leaning on headstones. This can cause damage and is seen as disrespectful.
- Refrain from letting children wander without supervision, it may disturb the peace for other visitors. If children are not being supervised, they may get hurt. Please keep them in your sight at all times.
- Keep a respectful distance away from other burial services and mourners, do not disrupt a funeral procession or service.
CEMETERY ACCOUNT
Step 1 – Confirm the account number format
When entering your account number, please make sure it follows this format:
Account Number = first 3 letters of your last name + 2-digit cemetery code + easement number
Example format:
SMI + 01 + 12345 → SMI0112345
Helpful tips:
• Use the first three letters of your last name (exactly as shown on your documents).
• The cemetery code must be two digits (for example, 01). Important: the 0 in 01 is the number zero (0), not the letter O.
• Enter the easement number exactly as shown (no spaces).
• Avoid extra spaces before or after the account number.
Step 2 – Start fresh
• Close your browser completely (all windows/tabs).
• Reopen your browser and return to our payment page.
• Try the payment again once (avoid multiple rapid retries).
Step 3 – Try a different browser, device, or network
• If you are using Safari, try Chrome or Edge.
• If you are on a phone, try a computer (or vice versa).
• If possible, try a different network (cellular data instead of Wi‑Fi, or another Wi‑Fi network).
Step 4 – Temporarily disable blockers that can interfere with payments
Some browser settings can block secure payment steps. If possible:
• Temporarily disable ad blockers or privacy extensions.
• Allow pop-ups for our site (some secure payment steps open in a new window).
• Ensure cookies and JavaScript are enabled.
Step 5 – Re-check payment details that can cause declines
• Enter the billing address and ZIP code exactly as shown on your card statement.
• If you recently moved, try the previous billing ZIP/address.
• Some debit/prepaid/corporate cards may have restrictions on online payments.
• In some cases, your bank may require verification (a text code or approval in your bank app). If prompted, complete that step and keep the browser tab open until the payment finishes.
Step 6 – If it still won’t go through
Sometimes the card issuer blocks an online transaction as a security precaution. Calling the number on the back of your card and asking them to approve the online charge often resolves it.
Prefer not to troubleshoot? We can take your payment another way.
If you’d like, you can:
• Call the cemetery office and make a payment over the phone.
• Stop in and make a payment in person during business hours.
CEMETERY DECORATIONS
It is important to be considerate of the families around you and Cemetery staff. Placing multiple decorations or inappropriately-sized decorations not only encroaches on the space of other families near you, but can also prohibit the Cemetery grounds crew from adequately mowing the grass and can pose a risk for injury.
Please help maintain the beauty of our Cemeteries by doing the following: limit decorations to one per grave. We strongly advise bringing an appropriately-sized planter box or flower pot to put your decoration in. Please refrain from placing candles, metal objects (stands, easels, shepherd hooks), breakable items (glass, ceramic, lawn ornaments), grave coverings, or any type of landscape material or border edging around a grave (wood, metal, stone, paving materials). Flags are permitted provided they are placed in the approved containers stated above and conform to the overall height restrictions not to exceed 30 inches (including container). Flags that become tattered, faded or unsightly will be respectfully removed and properly disposed.
Please remember that Cemeteries are open to the public, we are not responsible in the event that placements are moved, stolen, or damage/loss sustained from natural occurrences.
View Full Cemetery Decorating Policies for graves & monument lots, outdoor crypts and niches, and cremation garden.
SPRING CLEAN-UP
Our Cemetery Grounds Staff will remove ALL decorations and items left out between March 15th and March 31st. If you wish to save your decorations, please remove them before March 15th.
Spring decorations may be placed starting April 1st. Please do not place ANY decorations between March 15th and March 31st.
FALL CLEAN-UP
Our Cemetery Grounds Staff will remove ALL decorations and items left out between October 15th and October 31st. If you wish to save your decorations, please remove them before October 15th.
Fall decorations may be placed starting November 1st. Please do not place ANY decorations between October 15th and October 31st.
CREMATION
Cremation may be a confusing issue for Catholics. At one time, the church prohibited cremation but this is no longer the case. In 1963, the Catholic Church lifted its prohibition forbidding Catholics to choose cremation. Canon 1176 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law states, “The Church earnestly recommends the pious custom of burying the bodies of the dead be observed, it does not however, forbid cremation unless it has been chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching.”
No. The Catholic Church teaches that cremated remains should be treated with the same dignity and respect as the human body. Therefore, the Church does not permit the scattering of cremated remains on land, at sea, from the air, or in any other location. The Church also prohibits dividing cremated remains among family members or preserving them in keepsake jewelry or other personal mementos.
Instead, cremated remains should be laid to rest in a sacred place, such as a Catholic cemetery cremation grave, mausoleum, columbarium, or niche. This practice reflects the Church’s belief in the dignity of every human person, the resurrection of the body, and the importance of providing a permanent place where family and friends can gather in prayer and remembrance.
As stated by the Catechism of the Catholic Church, cremation is permitted provided it does not demonstrate a denial of faith in the resurrection of the body (CCC 2301). The Church further teaches that cremated remains should be buried or entombed in a sacred place, where they are honored with the reverence due to the human body.
For Catholics, choosing a sacred resting place ensures the memory of a loved one is preserved with dignity, faith, and respect for generations to come.
There are a number of options available to permanently memorialize cremated remains in our Cemeteries and provide a reverent place of rest for future generations to visit. Please click here to read more about the options for memorializing cremated remains.
PURCHASES
Cemetery plans may be pre-planned and pre-paid before need. Planning in advance offers several advantages. You will be able to learn about all the different options available to you, so you can make the best-informed decision for yourself and your family. You will be able to determine exactly how much everything will cost, make your cemetery selection, and choose an interest-free payment plan that fits your budget. Enjoy peace of mind knowing that your final wishes have been planned and paid for and lessen some of the emotional decision making and stress for your loved ones at the time of need.
If you have any questions or would like to schedule a free consultation with a Cemetery Advisor, please view the link below.
https://www.catholiccemeterieschicago.org/pre-planning-assistance/
The purchase, sale, or transfer of cemetery graves, crypts, or niches through any online marketplace or e-commerce platform is prohibited by the Catholic Cemeteries of Chicago and must be conducted directly through our cemetery office.
⚠️ Key Risks & Regulations
Easement Rights from the Catholic Cemeteries of Chicago, are not transferable, except with the prior written consent of the grantor (Catholic Cemeteries). When you buy a cemetery plot, you are not purchasing the physical land; you are purchasing a Right of Burial. This right is conveyed by an easement. Cemetery Rules and Regulations strictly regulate these rights. An easement cannot be transferred, gifted, or donated to a new owner without the explicit, written consent of the Catholic cemetery authority. An easement cannot be sold to a new owner.
There is a risk of fraud when purchasing graves, crypts, and niches without verifying the lot holder through the official Catholic cemetery office. There is no guarantee that the online seller actually controls the interment rights, or that the space has not already been used or promised to someone else.
📋 What You Should Do Instead
If you find a plot for sale online that you are interested in, protect yourself by taking the following steps:
Contact the Catholic Cemetery Directly: Before agreeing to anything, contact the specific cemetery's administration office.
Complete the Official Transfer: All legal transfers of interment rights must be processed directly through the Catholic cemetery office, subject to their specific rules, paperwork, and transfer fees.
Bottom Line: Never hand over cash or electronic payments to a private seller on an open marketplace for a Catholic cemetery grave. If the transfer does not happen officially through our Catholic cemetery office, your purchase is invalid.
To request more information, please fill out the following form here.
CATHOLIC BURIAL
The church expects the burial of Catholics in Catholic cemeteries. To avoid breaking close family ties, non-Catholic members of Catholic families may be interred in a Catholic cemetery. In the Archdiocese, Catholic burial, including the funeral Mass, is permitted for a baptized non-Catholic who might reasonably be presumed to desire or prefer Catholic burial services. Such a decision would be appropriate where the non-Catholic party worshiped regularly at the Catholic Church or identified with the Catholic Church more than any other.
DISCLAIMER
The following questions and answers are presented as general guidelines to address policies and procedures of the Catholic Cemeteries. The Catholic Cemeteries retains the right to change or modify these policies or procedures at any time. Therefore, you should always contact the cemetery office for final resolution of any questions pertaining to the Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago.
DOWNLOAD RULES AND REGULATIONS
Please click here to download a PDF of our Rules and Regulations.