On the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church, Bishop Earl Fernandes enthroned Resurrection Cemetery to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

Making his first visit to the cemetery at 9571 N. High St., Lewis Center, the bishop performed the enthronement on Monday, May 20 during a Mass on a feast that was instituted in 2018 by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. It is celebrated each year on the Monday after Pentecost.

Assisting Bishop Fernandes at Mass and for the enthronement and blessings was Deacon Paul Zemanek and Deacon Jeffrey Fortkamp, the director of the Office of Catholic Cemeteries of Columbus. Fortkamp oversees the four Catholic cemeteries located in the greater Columbus area.

The enthronement ceremony, which took place after the homily, included a prayer by Bishop Fernandes, a Litany to the Sacred Heart and a blessing of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Immaculate Heart of Mary portraits that will remain in the cemetery chapel.

After Mass, the bishop moved outside to bless the new columbaria, where cremated remains are interred, and a mausoleum on the cemetery grounds.

Other Masses for Memorial Day were offered at Resurrection and also at St. Joseph and Holy Cross cemeteries on Monday, May 27. 

Catholic Cemeteries of Columbus are open daily for visitation from 8 a.m. until sunset with the exception of Mt. Calvary, which closes at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit www.columbuscatholic.org/cemeteries.

Bishop Earl Fernandes consecrates the new mausoleum building with crypts at Resurrection Cemetery. Assisting him is Deacon Jeffrey Fortkamp, director of Catholic Cemeteries of Columbus. CT photo by Ken Snow

Bishop Earl Fernandes blesses and consecrates the new columbaria buildings with niches for cremains at Resurrection Cemetery with assistance from Deacon Jeffrey Fortkamp. CT photo by Ken Snow