St. John the Baptist

St. John the Baptist’s Cemetery is located on Sandridge Road directly behind the church in the Town of Alden and serves as the focal point for families who hand their deceased loved ones over to God’s Embrace.

Please contact Michelle at the parish office at 716-937-6959 ext. 102 for more information regarding purchasing a grave or locating a gravesite.

History

The original cemetery, which dates to 1854, constituted two acres behind the church.  After 1920 when additional land was  obtained, Father Mockel set to work planning and beautifying the cemetery with shrubs, trees and flowers. A stone grotto with the Pieta group, a gift of the Pfister family, was erected in June 1921.  Stone was used for the arched entrance and boundary walls.  Father Hagemaier had a stone altar built in the center at the intersection of the roadways.  Over the years, more land was acquired and the cemetery has a beautiful calm atmosphere.

The Church asks spiritual assistance for the departed, honors their bodies, and at the same time brings solace of hope to the living. The celebration of the Christian funeral brings hope and consolation to the living. While proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and witnessing to the Christian hope in the resurrection, the funeral rites also recall to all who take part in them God's mercy and judgement and meet the human need to turn always to God in times of crisis.

This consecrated land in the cemetery continues to point to our common belief in the resurrection of the body and serves as a focal point for families who hand their deceased loved ones over to God’s embrace.

Cemetery Regulations

• Plot size is 4 ft. by 11ft.
• Stone size is limited to the following maximum dimensions:  Width – 14 inches  Height – 36 inches  Length – 2 ft. for a single plot 4 ft. for a double plot
• Stone footing must extend beyond the stone by 2 inches on all sides and be level with the grade. Footings are to be installed by cemetery personnel only. 
• Decorations are limited to shrubs, which must be kept trimmed by owner to a maximum height of 4 ft., and potted flowers. Use of glass vases is prohibited. The planting of flowers in the ground is prohibited. Flower pots must be removed by November 1 ^st of each year. 
• Vaults are required to be of concrete construction for all adult graves. Exceptions may be granted by the pastor. 
• The price of a cemetery plot  is set at $600 for parishioners and $750 for non-parishioners for all sections of the cemetery except the dedicated cremains section (the Marian Circle Section) where the cost will be $350 and $400 respectively. Price is subject to change. 
• Fee for grave opening is set at $600 for a full body vault, $750 for weekend openings. The fee for cremation grave opening is $350 ($400 for weekend openings). No fee is to be charged for a still-born grave opening. Fees are subject to change.
• Only one burial per lot is allowed except for children or cremation where two are permitted.
• Husband and wife burial – the wife shall be to the left of her husband.