Dicoese of Rockford Catholic Cemeteries
Ground, Mausoleum, & Cremation Options Rooted in Tradition
The Catholic burial interment is a sacred rite in which the body of the deceased is laid to rest in consecrated ground, in keeping with the Church’s teachings on the dignity of the human body and the hope of resurrection. Following the Funeral Mass, the Rite of Committal takes place at the cemetery. This brief but solemn ceremony includes prayers, Scripture readings, and blessings led by a priest or deacon. The body is then interred—typically in a casket within a grave—as a final act of commendation to God. The Church views this as a moment of farewell, entrusting the departed soul to God’s mercy and affirming the promise of eternal life through Christ.
Cemetery Locations in Winnebago, Rockford, Elgin, Freeport, Aurora and Geneva.
Traditional in-ground graves that can consist of a casket burial, cremation burial, or a combination of both.
Cremation offers flexibility while still honoring traditional values of dignity, remembrance, and sacred rest. Cremation burial has many choices including in-ground burial and above-ground options.
Above-ground entombment is the placement of a deceased person’s body or cremated remains in a crypt or niche within a mausoleum or columbarium.