From earthly life to everlasting life! Queen of Angels Catholic Cemetery is now open! Father Anthony and Gary explain why you’ll want to visit this sacred space even if you’re not grieving the loss of a loved one.

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When you arrive at Queen of Angels Cemetery, seeing joyful families making plans or simply visiting a loved one are commonplace. Deacon Tommy Cuff, a memorial advisor spoke of “a touching example” earlier the morning of his interview. A family secured space in the columbarium three weeks prior. Diagnosed with cancer, a husband toured the cemetery with his family. “They were actually having a great time. He was in pretty good shape and was optimistic. Today, the wife came back with her adult son to make arrangements in a hurry because dad had taken a turn for the worse.” He recalled how they loved the Holy Presence Columbarium when they were there previously. “We were able to pray together – one of the nice things of Queen of Angels.”

The beautiful glass front niches lend a richness and peace to the Holy Presence Columbarium. Comfortable chairs face two large windows at the back, with views of the entrance fountain and natural surroundings. The spot is a favorite for many.

Director of Cemeteries for the Diocese of Orlando, David Branson, recalled one gentleman who “sat and pondered.” He came to spend time with his wife. He had selected “a lovely container with a nice cross emblazoned on it, and a beloved picture of her in her youth.” Branson said, “This is what is beautiful about these glass front niches. It’s an opportunity to honor the memory of a loved one in a unique way.”

Queen of Angels Cemetery is in close proximity to San Pedro Spiritual Development Center. “So many people have stories of meeting their spouse while serving as camp counselors or having experienced marriage encounter there,” Mr. Branson noted. “People have worked and made retreats there. Their children have attended summer camp there.” He said the attraction is, “the prospect of being able to be buried here, in a place that means so much to people, and that has been such a significant piece of their spiritual journey.” Deacon Cuff affirmed, “It’s a beautiful arrangement and synergy to have these two ministries side by side on this beautiful land,” he said.

“In my 15 years as a Catholic, San Pedro has been interwoven through my whole journey. When you find out you can be buried here, it’s almost too good to be true,” he noted. “That excitement level has certainly been present. People feel privileged to be here.”

For him and his wife, it was a natural progression in their walk of faith. He said he and Amy chose the Holy Presence Columbarium “because it spoke to our life.” “If it’s comfortable and air-conditioned maybe our daughter will come and visit us,” he chuckled.

Since the Vatican gave permission in 1997, for cremated remains of a body in church to receive the liturgical rites of burial, cemeteries have seen a steady growth in cremations. Deacon Cuff says his favorite part of a tour is when people get to the Holy Presence Columbarium and think it is out of their budget. “It is just as accessible as any other spot we have in this beautiful cemetery. I love that the leaders of the Diocese had the heart to make it possible for just about everybody to make a decision to care for the dead, not based on money, but on where they would find suitable sacred ground. For some people that’s outside. For some it’s in the columbarium. “As a corporal work of mercy, the staff assures the Queen of Angels Cemetery serves them.”

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic, September 30, 2020

WINTER PARK | Resting on almost 50 acres of open landscape, Queen of Angels Cemetery sits alongside the peaceful grounds of San Pedro Spiritual Development Center, in Winter Park. Guests can expect to feel comforted by the serene splashes of the entrance fountain before arriving at the main building where they are welcomed by a 10-foot high mosaic of Mary. The cemetery will be blessed by Bishop John Noonan later this year, but guests need not wait to visit as Queen of angels is officially open.

“It is a long standing tradition in the Catholic Church to have a cemetery adjacent to a parish to serve as one part of that community,” explained David Branson, director of cemeteries for the diocese. “That has not been practical in our Central Florida area in the Diocese of Orlando. So we are pleased to launch this first diocesan cemetery, which fulfills that tradition for many parishes all at the same time.”

This first diocesan cemetery offers a variety of burial and memorial options in areas bearing names which were inspired by Bishop Noonan: Garden of Eternal Light, Holy Presence Columbarium, and Peace in Christ Crypts, to name a few. Bishop Noonan also selected the name, Queen of Angels, abiding Bishop Thomas Wenski’s vision for the burial ground. Branson noted, “Queen of Angels is being named to recognize the dedication of our diocese to Mary, Mother of God and to invoke her intercession and sponsorship, her patronage over the ministry of burying the dead here at this wonderful place. It carries on a tradition that we have, not only throughout our diocese – being dedicated to Mary, but also many cemeteries being dedicated in her honor.”

Queen of Angels is managed by Tim Tully, who has vast experience in caring for cemetery properties. “We want the opportunity for families to come, to be invited to the cemetery; to be able to provide space for their loved ones,” said Tully. “We provide the services of all the Catholic rites and traditions… All the things that we do here help people back to Christ; help us back to the Church and our faith.”

A Catholic cemetery is unique in that it is committed to enduring Catholic practices. At Queen of Angels, there is a deacon on staff, “So every burial we do here, every committal we do here, we have the presence of an ordained priest or minister or deacon to be able to provide the final blessing for us,” Tully noted.

From the beautiful glass niches in the indoor columbarium, to full burial plots and family estates, the lovely outdoor garden – flanked by pergolas at each end, and a meandering sidewalk path that intersects with a fountain, amidst the sounds of peaceful music, Queen of Angels’ focus is to welcome families and encourage them to visit their loved ones. It is sacred ground, a sanctuary upon which visitors may find peace and rest in a natural setting.

“Our cemetery is designed to be inviting, to bring people out to the cemetery. It should be a place of meditation, to come and spend some time with family members,” Tully noted. “There are only two places in our faith that we have consecrated grounds. One is our churches, the other one is our cemetery. So when you come to our cemetery, in a sense you are coming to a church and we believe, in our Church, that we live in a community of saints. We have a job here with the community of saints. That’s why this is our ministry.” Tully noted the experienced staff is available to give tours and assist with any questions. He added, “It’s a ministry here, so we don’t see this as a job.”

For this reason, those buried are remembered in a monthly Mass in the Mary, Mother of God Chapel at San Pedro, just a few steps away from the cemetery’s entrance.

“The additional blessing of being buried in a Catholic cemetery is that this most wonderful place is a continuation of our centuries old tradition of keeping unified our community –the Church on Earth, the Church that is in Heaven,” Branson said. “It also offers the opportunity to recognize and memorialize our families, members of our faith community, in such a wonderful and spiritual way that is not typically possible in other civic or commercial cemeteries.”

Branson said he hopes to “have the opportunity to support and nurture those families who come to us through the Catholic tradition of consolation, prayer and express our unified hope of the Resurrection.”

For more information, go to https://catholiccemeteriescfl.org/.

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic, July 8, 2020

WINTER PARK | The words of the late Bishop Thomas Grady, “we honor Mary because God first honored her,” boast why the first diocesan cemetery is named after her. 

Driving up to Queen of Angels Cemetery, visitors cannot miss the 10-foot by almost 11-foot mosaic of Mary surrounded by angels, greeting guests just beyond the small pond. The work of art welcomes them to this sacred space. 

It is made of Venetian glass, hand-cut and crafted in Italy under the direction of Conrad Pickel Studio, Inc. in Vero Beach. Studio artist Lyn Durham first drew watercolor concepts, evolving into a final pastel work. The final product is an imposing masterpiece made of an estimated 250,000 pieces of glass, on the east side of the columbarium building.

The 70-year-old studio is family-owned, founded by the late Conrad Pickel, who learned the art of stained glass in his homeland of Germany. The method dates back to the Renaissance. The artist draws an image, an actual size pastel drawing, which is sent to the glass factory. “(The artisans) gather the glass and press it into a small pancake a quarter-inch thick and six inches in diameter,” explained Paul Pickel, the studio’s second-generation owner. “Then it is cut into strips, later cut into small mosaic pieces. The glass is made by adding metallic oxides to the natural ingredients of the glass,” thus producing a wide range of up to 2,000 colors.  

The glass pieces and rendering are sent to nearby Spilimbergo, where the image is reversed and divided into sections. Eight to 10 skilled craftspeople work on sections – some specialize in faces, others in hands and backgrounds. Cutting and fitting is a pain-staking and slow process, taking more than six months to complete. For this project, there were 69 “puzzle” pieces or sections. The piec-es are then numbered and glued onto paper and shipped. It took foreman Paul Thornton and his assistant, Bradley Sanderson, five days to install the final artwork, carefully matching the elegant pieces seamlessly.  

The Queen of Angels mosaic is not only a symbol, but a reality of everlasting life, joyfully looking toward the eternal, while also acknowledging a present eternal reality. 

“It’s just a thrill to see (the mosaic) come to life,” Pickel said. “From the moment you create the design to then actually see it on the wall… the colors are so beautiful and the shading is fantastic.” 

As a Catholic himself, Pickel said, “To know that people will be inspired by that — even though they may not be consciously aware of it — the feeling or suggestion affects people as they’re sitting in church or come up to the cemetery. That’s a great feeling that we are able to contribute to that.”  

Scott Fergerson, secretary of Ecclesiastical Properties for the diocese agreed. “The mosaic beautifully depicts Mary as our Queen of Angels. Its prominent location provides a constant reminder of the comfort our Blessed Mother provides as the faithful depart to their heavenly homes.”

The idea for a Marian name came from that of the Diocese of Orlando’s patroness, Mary, Mother of God, designated in 1977 by Pope Paul VI at the request of Bishop Thomas Grady. As plans for a diocesan cemetery formed and slowly came to fruition, former Bishop Thomas Wenski wanted to honor her by naming the first, and hopefully future cemeteries with a name given to Mary. 

“As the Diocese of Orlando is dedicated to Mary, thus the desire was that diocesan cemeteries, apart from those associated with parishes, would carry a Marian name and seek the blessing of Mary for its ministry,” said David Branson, director of Cemeteries for the diocese. “The name would also reflect how the diocese is dedicated to the honor and intercession of Mary.”

Bishop John Noonan received 15 names for consideration, noting Queen of Angels as the primary choice. To decide, he reflected upon all the beautiful images of Mary that stood out in his mind throughout his life.

“There are a number of special scenes of Mary in the life of Jesus that are captured by famous art-ists,” he said. “Michelangelo’s Pietà is one such scene; Mary holding the dead body of Jesus after being taken down from the Cross.” 

He pondered the daily recitation of the rosary prayed by millions of Catholics throughout the world. 

“In the rosary, the fourth and fifth joyful mysteries — the Assumption and the Crowning of Mary — are two beautiful scenes captured by artists over the centuries.” 

Reflecting on these depictions of Christian devotion to Mary, as the Mother of Jesus, Queen of Angels seemed to make the most sense. 

He added, focusing on Mary’s hands, “Simply look at the Pietà, how she holds the body of her son Jesus. The tenderness, care and love that we pray all our loved ones will receive from Mary in death,” Bishop Noonan said. “The prayer that comes to mind is, Mary please look after our loved ones here on earth and in heaven.”

The bishop hopes visitors share that experience as they enter the cemetery, an assurance that their Mother is with them and those they love and lost. The decision to highlight the cemetery entrance with a mosaic of Mary came early in the design concept, according to Branson. 

“We wanted to have religious art that was very visible from the entry way, knowing a new road would be built to enter the combined properties of the cemetery and San Pedro Spiritual Development Center.” He added, “We wanted a hallmark image as a visual impact upon entering the property.” Two studios competed for the project, but Branson said, “Pickel was closer to Bishop Noonan’s vision of Mary welcoming departed souls to heaven, accompanied by angels.” He noted Bishop Noonan’s appreciation of the design, particularly, “Mary welcoming the faithful to heaven and the angels beckoning and welcoming the faithful with her.” 

The words from the Requiem Mass, better known today as the Christian Burial Rite, also served as inspiration for the name and art for Queen of Angels. At the end of the rite, all sing the Song of Farewell or In Paradisum, sung as the casket is being incensed, sending the prayers to heaven. 

“May the angels lead you into paradise. May the martyrs receive you at your arrival and lead you to the holy city Jerusalem. May choirs of angels receive you and with Lazarus, once a poor man, may you have eternal rest.” 

As a final reminder of Mary’s connection with our eternity, Bishop Noonan recalled, “We pray daily, Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen.” How apt then, to name the cemetery after Our Lady and crown it with a mosaic demonstrating her unceasing goal, to lead us to her son, Jesus.  

Queen of Angels Cemetery is adjacent to San Pedro Spiritual Development Center in Winter Park. It is the first diocesan cemetery and opens in June. 

By Glenda Meekins of the Florida Catholic Staff, May 28 2020