After a lunch to begin their March 15 gathering, representatives of parishes with cemeteries heard presentations from Robert Weinstein, director of business development for American Wilbert Vault Corp., and Carol Giambalvo, director of cemeteries for the Rockford Diocese.

 

Weinstein opened the afternoon presentations with a slide show and accompanying photos about the variety of columbaria available through his company.

 

Several diocesan and parish cemeteries already work with Weinstein, who provides design services as well as access to columbaria. (See related story in the March 2 issue of The Observer.)

 

Giambalvo updated the group on diocesan accounting procedures and cemetery forms, reminded them about requirements of the Illinois Cemetery Oversight Act and directory, and reviewed the 2017 burial records from the diocese.

 

Overall, 66 percent of burials were of remains in caskets, while 34 percent were of cremated remains.  She anticipates burials of cremated remains will rise throughout the diocese.