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Catholic diocese bars mementoes from cemeteries

Monday, 14 June 2004

Catholic diocese bars mementoes from cemeteries
June 14, 2004
Associated Press

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Mementoes and most decorations will be barred from grave sites at seven Catholic cemeteries, under a new policy from The Diocese of Providence.

"When we look at the thousands and thousands of people interred in our system and those families who come to these cemeteries, you want to make sure they convey a certain respect and dignity," says Arthur Lurgio, associate director of Catholic cemeteries for the diocese. "Unfortunately what might seem wonderful to one may seem terrible to another."

Increasingly, Lurgio told The Providence Journal, people are decorating their beloved's gravestones with plastic windmills, wind chimes, photographs, figurines and even balloons. The trend has generated more complaints, too, he said.

Some mementos are placed in the grass or they fall off the tombstones and break. "There is a safety issue here" if groundskeepers mow over them, he said.

Some with relatives buried in the affected cemeteries said the safety argument rings hollow.

"They say a piece of plastic will fall off one of these graves and hurt somebody if they mow over it," said Deborah Bruno, whose family has adorned her mother's gravestone with a plastic garland of roses, and items including several ceramic angels. "Well, you know what? A rock could hurt somebody, too."

Bruno said her mother's gravestone is family property and the family should have some freedom to place what it wants there.

"A cemetery can't look trashy, I agree 100 percent," Bruno says. "But if you are purchasing the lot and purchasing a stone, that's your property."

The diocese's new decoration policy will still allow cut natural flowers, living plants and silk flowers on a grave in pots no larger than 8 inches.

Plastic flowers, photographs, glass or pottery containers, "figurines, plastic flags, mom and dad signs, windmills, wind chimes, balloons, toys" -- even rosary beads and floral crosses -- will be prohibited.

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