Palatine Catholic cemetery embraces natural burial trend

Joining a growing trend of providing an earth-friendly way to lay loved ones to rest, a Palatine cemetery has become the first Catholic institution in Illinois to offer a natural burial option.

Run by the Archdiocese of Chicago, the Meadows of St. Kateri, a new section at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery, now caters to green burials.

“Natural burial has been becoming more and more prevalent in society. The requests from families for natural burial have continuously increased every year,” said Ted Ratajczyk, executive director of Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

While St. Michael’s, 1185 W. Algonquin Road, is the first Catholic cemetery to provide such a service, several secular cemeteries in the Northwest suburbs and downstate have been offering natural or green burials for some time.

Chicago-based Green Burials of Love was started in 2010 with that purpose in mind to address the growing need in the region.

“It took a while to catch on, but now it’s more popular than it’s been in the past,” said Marion Friel, funeral director and owner of Green Burials of Love.

Most people seeking a green burial simply hope to be eco-friendly, according to Friel.

A natural burial involves a casket without any metal. Instead, it’s constructed with biodegradable materials, such as bamboo or pine, and would be buried on its own, without a vault or concrete layer. The body also would not be embalmed, a sterilization that prevents decaying.

Catholics who request a natural burial often do so to honor their religious beliefs and to ensure they leave a legacy in line with those values when they pass on, Ratajczyk said.

“They wish they had a way to … live out their eternity in an eco-friendly way, as well,” Ratajczyk said.

Accommodating natural burials creates more work for cemeteries, but the reward for employees is helping meet the needs of the families.

“Our biggest goal is to make sure that we have something for everybody. We want to make sure that all Catholics feel that Catholic cemeteries have a place for them,” said the Rev. Larry Sullivan, priest and director of Catholic Cemeteries for the Archdiocese of Chicago.

“I would never say that you have to choose one option over another. We really do have the possibility to see the world in different ways,” Sullivan said.

A Mass and blessing of the Palatine green burial site will be held at noon Sunday, Sept. 8, at St. Michael’s Cemetery. Visitors will be able to explore the site, view examples of caskets and graves, and ask questions. There also are plans to have a representative from the Illinois Funeral Directors Association there to talk to families about the funeral end of natural burials, according to Ratajczyk.

Those interested can RSVP to the event on Archdiocese of Chicago’s website, catholiccemeterieschicago.org.