St. Patrick and St. Michael Cemeteries

Blessed Trinity Parish has two cemeteries. The purpose of these cemeteries is to provide a
dignified final resting place to members of Blessed Trinity Catholic Parish, and, in some cases, their direct descendants and family members. In our Catholic cemeteries we pray for those who have gone before us and reflect on the great promise of “the resurrection of the body and life everlasting.” We have great confidence that one day we will be reunited with our deceased loved ones. All those baptized in the faith share in this great promise. Catholic cemeteries are visible signs of Christ’s promises to His Church and of our unwavering hope in the fulfillment of God's promises.

To purchase a plot or for more information, please contact our sextons:

• St. Patrick Cemetery in Lodi: Teri Hellenbrand, (608) 592-5711, ex. 2; thellenbrand@btcatholic.us
• St. Michael Cemetery in Dane: Dean Clemens, dean.clemens@genusplc.com

As a friendly reminder, any items not specifically permitted by our rules and regulations may be removed without notice. Your cooperation and understanding are appreciated. Our cemeteries are the final resting place for the beloved deceased of our parish family. It is important that we maintain and uphold the sacredness of our Catholic cemeteries.

1. Visiting hours from dawn until dusk. No trespassing after dark. 
2. ALL decoration must be removed before each cemetery cleaning period (March 15th – April 15th, and October 15th – November 15th). 
3. Small floral arrangements (natural or artificial) can be placed in monuments with integrated vases, or on top of upright monuments using headstone saddles.
4. ONE shepherd’s hook or in-ground plant stand per monument. Flowers (natural or artificial) must be placed in non-breakable containers. 
5. NO landscaping of any kind, including edging, fencing, bricks, rocks, gravel, bark, and mulch.
6. NOTHING planted directly in the soil, including flowers, bushes, shrubs, hostas, or trees.
7. NO solar lights, pinwheels, bird houses, plaques, banners, toys, figurines, statues, candles, flowerpots, or other decorations are allowed on or around memorials. 
8. NO stakes, wire, ceramic, or glass of any kind. This excludes military service and KC markers.  
9. Digging (i.e., opening or closing a grave) and/or placing a monument on a lot is strictly forbidden without the express permission of the cemetery committee.
10. Any items not permitted, deemed dangerous or unsightly, or not removed during cleaning periods will be discarded and cannot be retrieved.
11. Approval of monument design must be obtained from the pastor.
12. To reflect the sacredness of our grounds and our belief in the resurrection, monuments should contain Christian symbols. The Diocese of Madison provides guidance in this regard. 
13. As stated in the cemetery contract, monuments are NOT the property of the parish or cemetery, but are owned by the grantee or grantee’s heirs. Therefore, it is the responsibility of grantee or grantee’s heirs to keep the monument in a safe and proper state of repair. In the event of damage, the monument shall be repaired at the expense of the grant or grantee’s heirs. Any insurance coverage is the responsibility of the grantee or grantee’s heirs.
14. Workers engaged in setting or maintaining monuments must obtain permission from the cemetery management before commencing work, and they shall be subject to its control. All other services about the lot requiring labor shall be performed by employees of the cemetery.
15. Prior to opening any grave site, the lot must be verified by the parish. Only authorized personnel, as approved by the parish pastor or his representative, are allowed to open/close the grave.
16. The Order of Christian Funerals will be followed. Committal services should, when possible, take place at the actual burial, entombment, or inurnment site unless pastoral reasons dictate otherwise. The pastor makes this determination. The pastor of Blessed Trinity Catholic Parish or a member of the Roman Catholic clergy is designated to perform the Rite of Committal. However, if a cleric is not available the pastor will appoint a suitable delegate.
17. Please do not drive or park on the lawn.
18. Accidents on cemetery property should be reported immediately.
19. Blessed Trinity Catholic Parish reserves the right to amend or change any of these rules or regulations.
20. Parties seeking lot information or interested in purchasing a cemetery lot(s) must contact the parish office.

Thank you for respecting these regulations and helping preserve the beauty and dignity of Saint Patrick and Saint Michael Catholic Cemeteries.

The Cemetery Committee is a consultative body who advise the Pastor in cemetery matters. They assist the Pastor in overseeing the fiscal management, the day-to-day operation, and long-range maintenance of the two Parish cemeteries in accordance with diocesan guidelines and civil law. This includes maps, burial records, and all historical materials relating to each cemetery. The Cemetery Committee also helps to guide regulation of the Parish cemeteries in order to maintain and uphold the sacredness of our Catholic cemeteries.

Cemetery Committee members are appointed by the Pastor.

Members:

• Fr. Joseph Baker, Pastor
• Dean Clemens, Sexton - St. Michael Cemetery
• Teri Hellenbrand, Sexton - St. Patrick Cemetery
• Alan Clemens
• Rita Hahn
• Lori Hellenbrand
• Duwayne "Pete" Kurt
• Rick Mills
• Dave Munz