Parish Columbarium

WALL TWO 
What is the pre-construction niche selection process for Columbarium Wall Two?
How is the cost of a niche determined?
What happens if too few purchase Wall Two niches at preconstruction prices?
Cremation vs. Burial 
Americans increasingly choose cremation

 

A Columbarium is a group of niches, typically within a wall of brick, stone, granite, marble or other materials, that contains the cremated remains of the departed in a “worthy vessel”. At Saint Paul Wall #1 contains 110 niches; Wall #2 will contain 170 niches. Provision has been made for a future third wall, which will also contain 170 niches. Each niche can accommodate up to two urns.

What is the pre-construction niche selection process for Columbarium Wall Two?

After the date for pre-construction pledges to be fulfilled, the names of those who have purchased a License are placed in a random drawing. Notice of the drawing time and location will be publicized so that anyone wishing to attend can do so.

Niche selection is determined by the order in which the names are drawn. Each Licensee will be contacted in order. After location selection, the next Licensee is contacted. A list of the order of all new Licensees is available from the Parish Office.

A current Licensee can decide to use the surrender process in the Rules and Regulations to return their existing license and license a niche in the new wall. 75% of the price paid will be used as a credit for purchase of a License in Wall Two. The Licensee must pay the difference between the credit and the pre-construction price, about $950.

If a current Licensee surrenders and purchases a License in the new wall before the date that new License pledges must be fulfilled, their name will be placed in the random drawing with new Licensees.

After the pre-construction drawing, niche selection is made at the time the Licensee fee is paid from the existing inventory of available niches, per Rules and Regulations 2.

How is the cost of a niche determined?

The Columbarium Advisory Board has the task of determining price levels sufficient to 1) provide perpetual care and 2) construct the next wall. The Pastor approves the pricing. Due to substantial inflation in materials cost, the current niche price is actually too low. If it had been higher, the 2013 pre-construction sale would not be necessary.

Forecasting costs a decade from now is very difficult. But the Board has determined and the Pastor has approved an increase of about 18% so that – based on actuarial estimates – funds for Wall Three will be available when 85% of Wall Two has been licensed.

What happens if too few purchase Wall Two niches at preconstruction prices?

At this time, there are no firm quotations for the cost of construction of Wall Two. Estimates indicate we should sell about ten (10) licenses to proceed. It is possible that when prices and negotiations are completed, funds will be insufficient.

If funds are insufficient to proceed, construction will be delayed. In that case, any pre-construction payments would be refunded. The exact timing cannot be accurately predicted, but within two years License revenue from Wall One should permit proceeding with construction. However, in that case there would almost certainly be a period of time when no niches were immediately available.

Americans Increasingly Choose Cremation

In 2006, 34% of deaths used cremation as the final disposition option. This compares to 1% of all deaths a hundred years ago. The rate of cremation in the US continues to climb and is expected to reach 52% in 2025.

What are the factors that contribute to this trend?
•    More religions are accepting cremation.
•    Many people do not feel the need to preserve their body.
•    Some people dislike the idea of being buried.
•    Cost considerations
•    Cremation is very simple, especially “direct cremation” in which the body goes directly to the crematorium without embalming and viewing.
•    People are increasingly less traditional.
•    People are increasingly planning their own disposition.
•    People are increasingly individualizing their memorials.
•    Cremation removes the time constraint of full-body burial.
•    Cremation allows remains to be easily transported to a remote location.
•    Fewer people have reserved spaces in family burial plots.
•    Crematoriums have used technology to considerably reduce emissions.
•    More burial grounds are offering columbariums and ground vaults.

Probably one of the most important factors in this trend is the social affirmation. Cremation becomes more acceptable as more people choose it. Basically, people know that others have researched cremation prior to choosing it. People may also factor that society finds cremation acceptable.
On average, cremation burials are 20-25% of casket burials. The additional cost of casket burials is due to multiple factors. Casket burials:
•    Involve more parts, like markers, marker bases, liners, vaults, etc.
•    Involve costlier parts, like a casket
•    Involve more transportation
•    Require heavy equipment: ex. backhoe, lift, etc.
•    Traditionally involve a funeral home, which typically charges more than a nonprofit
•    Traditionally involve a viewing, which has a lot of associated cost.
•    Often involve a funeral package, which provides more services

Funeral Cost

 

City	Low	High
Atlanta	$3,890	$11,595
Baltimore	$3,170	$7,995
Boston	$3,650	$8,795
Chicago	$4,060	$9,675
Houston	$2,025	$10,020
Nashville	$2,945	$8,460

Burial Plot
Plot average nation wide $2000 to $4500
Engraved headstone – $500 and up

Funeral and Burial costs are added to arrive at the total cost

Note that these costs are per person

Cremation vs Burial

2012

The decision between cremating and burying loved ones remains a very personal one in the United States. Most people don’t even like to discuss their plans for their final resting place until their later years. Even then, it comes down to finances, personal preferences and religious beliefs.
Studies show cremation is on the rise. In 2010, the cremation rate was over 40 percent. This number has risen steadily in the past several decades. The reasons for which people gravitate toward cremation are also gaining importance. Let’s have a look at some determining factors that help explain why people choose cremation over burial.
Cost
According to the 2012 Cremation Association of North America annual report, money was a leading reason people chose cremations over burial. Although there are cases where cremation can be more expensive depending on the services and products desired by the family, in general, cremation is cheaper than burial.
The national average for burial is $7,300 (including embalming, casket, vault and other commonly requested services), whereas the national average for a cremation is only $1,650.
Burial – Burial costs typically include a casket, liner, rental costs of funeral home, embalming, grave site, printed items, death certificate, cemetery proceedings and clergy. It does not include gravesite, burial vault and headstone/grave marker.
Cremation – Typically, cremation costs include the cremation process and a basic urn. Similar to traditional funerals, families can choose how elaborate they want the process to be. Cremated remains are present at the funeral Mass in the ossuary, which is placed where a coffin would be.
Location
Nevada leads the nation with highest percentage of cremations at 72 percent. Other states with high percentages of cremations are Washington, Hawaii, Oregon, Montana, Arizona, Maine and Colorado. Pacific states lead the country in highest cremations per death. South Atlantic states are at the low end. In 2011, the rate for Texas was 32 percent and 56 percent in California.