Catholic Cemeteries are intended for the interment of Catholics and non-Catholics who are entitled to Christian burial according to the rules and disciplines of the Roman Catholic Church. 

St. Mary Catholic Cemetery is owned and managed by Our Lady of the Gulf Catholic Church and the Diocese of Biloxi. Deed holders and their family are responsible for the maintenance of the family gravesites, tombs, headstones, etc., and for keeping their gravesites cut and clean. St. Mary Catholic Cemetery will provide maintenance of the aisles, any common areas, and cemetery driveway. 

All cemetery plots, burials, and entombments are subject to the rules and regulations that have been or may be adopted by OLG and the Roman Catholic Church in the Diocese of Biloxi. Any question concerning the burial of a non-Catholic or of any person not entitled to Christian burial according to the rules and disciplines of the Roman Catholic Church shall be decided exclusively by the cemetery “Management” appointed by the Pastor of Our Lady of the Gulf and/or the Bishop of Biloxi and such decision shall be final and binding on the parties. The following information is provided as a guide to understanding but is not all inclusive to these rules and regulations.

1) APPROVAL MUST BE GRANTED PRIOR TO ALL BURIALS, ALL CONSTRUCTION AND PURCHASE AND PLACEMENT OF ALL TOMBS, HEADSTONES, MEMORIALS AND SLABS. FOR APPROVAL, PLEASE CALL OUR LADY OF THE GULF CATHOLIC CHURCH at 228-467-6509.

2) No organizations or individuals except those approved by the Management will be permitted to conduct any services at St Mary Catholic Cemetery.

3) A presentation of a deed or other “assurance” of ownership of a given plot must be provided to Management before any burial may take place. Failure to provide proof of ownership may be grounds for disinterment and associated expenses to be charged to the responsible parties.

4) In no case shall a lot owner have any right to sell, transfer, exchange or in any manner dispose of said grave or plot or any use of said grave or plot without the prior written consent of the Management.

5) Because of the Church’s belief in the sacredness of the human body, the dignity of the individual person, and the resurrection of the dead, Catholic Cemeteries do not allow scattering cremated remains, dividing cremated remains, or combining cremated remains. Only one location will be recorded as the burial site for one person.

To maintain the solemnity of the cemetery and assist its long-term care, including orderliness and maintenance of the grounds and walkways the following prohibitions are enforced:

Prohibitions

• The addition of any of the following items to the grounds of St. Mary Catholic Cemetery are NOT permitted:

o Fences, coping, curbing, hedges, boarders of any kind

o Personal Benches or any permanent seating are prohibited

o Planting of trees, shrubs and flower in cemetery grounds is prohibited

o Glass vases are prohibited

o Any item, statue, vase deemed obtrusive, obstructive, or inappropriate by Management or that could possibly hinder the maintenance, mowing and or trimming of the cemetery is prohibited.

o Any item, including décor, statues, embellishment in any way inconsistent with to the Roman Catholic Faith, as determined by the Management, is prohibited. Nothing contrary to or inconsistent with the Catholic faith will be allowed to be engraved on headstones, mausoleums or plaques. Examples include but are not limited: occult symbols, masonic symbols, symbols proper to non-Christian or pagan religions.

The Management reserves the right to remove above items, including headstones, without notice, if so erected, planted, or placed.

Various Instructions and Regulations

• Concrete slabs may be permitted and must cover the entire area of designated plot(s).

o Concrete slabs of a smaller nature may be permitted as foundations for headstones.

• Headstones and monuments must conform to size of the plot.

• Headstones placed on reduced-sized plots reserved for cremations must be flat plaques and be no higher than 6 inches from ground level.

• Mausoleums or “above ground tombs” require a minimum of two standard plots.

• American flags are permitted and welcomed at the gravesites of veterans.

o Flags will be removed after a suitable length of time or when the flags become worn or discolored.

• No more than one casket may be buried in a single plot.

• If the owner of a plot is alive, cremains or multiple cremains may be placed in a plot where a casket has been buried, only if the owner of the plot gives permission in writing on a form provided by Our Lady of the Gulf.

• If the owner of the plot is deceased, cremains or multiple cremains may be placed in a plot where a casket has been buried, only if the nearest living descendants and/or “next of kin” of the person buried agree in writing on a form provided by Our Lady

of the Gulf.

• Funeral homes, mortuaries and all responsible parties must ensure that adjacent plots and walkways are protected from any damage or disfigurement during the digging of graves and construction of mausoleums, etc. Gravesites and adjacent areas must be cleaned and groomed after burial. If any damage or disfigurement occurs, repairs will be promptly and professionally made by whoever the person or company authorized to conduct the digging, burial or construction.

• Besides being subject to these rules and regulations, all interments and removals shall be subject to the orders and laws of the properly constituted authorities of the city, county, state and federal governments including the Regulations of the Department of Health.

• No disinterment shall be allowed except with the permission of the Management and with the written authorization of the lot owner and the next of kin and with the proper legal procedure

ADOPTED DECEMBER 1, 2018 AND SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE