Since 2007, Foster-Warne Funeral Home and Calvary Cemetery have worked together to support Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Camden, now Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, with the burial of fetal remains stemming from miscarriage or stillborn pregnancy loses.
Laying these remains of children of all faiths to rest in a dignified burial plot at Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill has occurred at least annually for the past 17 years.
As a Catholic cemetery, we not only recognize the significance of the Corporal Work of Mercy of burying the remains of the dead, but we also recognize the importance of memorializing the gravesite where these cherished souls are laid to rest. Feeling strongly in the belief that the burial site be identified, so it can be recognized by those visiting, a goal of the director of South Jersey Catholic Cemeteries was achieved when an upright monument was placed on the gravesite at Calvary Cemetery this past summer.
The granite monument, crafted by Ravelli Memorials, depicts an image of the Blessed Mother holding a baby with a cross on either side and a verse from the Book of Jeremiah, “Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you,” engraved across the top.
“Catholics believe that life begins at the moment of conception, therefore we firmly believe that it is our sacred calling to care for these precious souls and their grieving families through our ministry,” says Paul Martin, director of South Jersey Catholic Cemeteries.
“We are delighted to be able to erect a monument identifying the burial site for these children of God and will continue our commitment by working with our local community partners to comfort these families and provide a resting place for the unborn at Calvary Cemetery,” he says.
Debra A. Moore is assistant director for Cemetery Marketing & Outreach for South Jersey Catholic Cemeteries Diocese of Camden.
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