Honoring Jesus: Archdiocese breaks ground on new Prince of Peace Mausoleum

By Mary Ann Wyand

Jesus, the Prince of Peace, was honored during a groundbreaking ceremony for a new mausoleum on April 14 at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery in Indianapolis.

Msgr. Joseph F. Schaedel, vicar general, presided during the Way of the Cross on Good Friday followed by the groundbreaking for the Prince of Peace Mausoleum that will be built east of Our Lady of Peace Mausoleum at the archdiocese’s cemetery at 9001 N. Haverstick Road.

Construction will begin on the 1,072-crypt mausoleum in June, with completion expected during the summer of 2007.

“In the name of Jesus, who is the Prince of Peace, we officially break this ground for this new mausoleum here at Our Lady’s cemetery,” Msgr. Schaedel said. “… We pray that God may welcome all who rest in this place to the kingdom of his saints.”

After the groundbreaking, the vicar general said that the archdiocese and Catholic Cemeteries Association staff members have worked for the past several years to promote awareness about the importance of being buried in consecrated ground in a Catholic cemetery.

“We began this new cemetery on the north side of Indianapolis about 10 years ago, and now Our Lady of Peace Mausoleum is nearly filled,” Msgr. Schaedel said. “So today, on Good Friday, a very appropriate day, we’ve broken ground for the new Prince of Peace Mausoleum so that more of our Catholic families will have the opportunity to be buried here at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery.”

Don Masten, manager of Our Lady of Peace Cemetery, said the first ground burial at the north side cemetery was in March 1996 and the first entombment in the mausoleum was in September 1996.

“There are about 8,000 to 8,500 spaces for ground burial,” he said, “and we have additional ground for expansion sometime down the road.”

For those who prefer above-ground burial, Masten said, the new Prince of Peace Mausoleum will feature an atrium with a fountain that will complement the 1,080-crypt chapel mausoleum built in 1996 that is more than 90 percent reserved.

“We’ve needed this new mausoleum for some time,” he said. “The fountain in the atrium will be a nice focal point. We found a nice sculpture of doves [in flight], which is the symbol of peace, that I’m hoping to use in the fountain. I think the sound of water cascading into the fountain will be a very nice, peaceful atmosphere for folks.”

Masten said the new mausoleum will be built in two phases and will also feature additional niche space for cremation urns.

“We hope to get enough sales before the completion of the first phase,” he said, “so we can finish construction of the second phase.”

In August 1999, the archdiocese entered into an agreement with the Buchanan Group to manage the day-to-day operations of four Catholic cemeteries in Indianapolis.

Fifteen Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus from the Bishop Chatard Assembly, who represented 14 councils in central Indiana, assisted Msgr. Schaedel as the honor guard during the Way of the Cross and groundbreaking ceremony at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery.

Our Lady of the Greenwood parishioner Nate Schallert of Greenwood, the faithful commander of the honor guard, said 38 Fourth Degree Knights served as an honor guard for the Way of the Cross ceremony held at noon on Good Friday in downtown Indianapolis. Seven Knights served as honor guard members for a ceremony at noon last Friday at Calvary Cemetery on the south side.

“This is a very special day for all of us to participate in the Way of the Cross,” Schallert said. “It’s a good way to set the stage at the end of Holy Week.”

(For information about interment at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery, call 317-574-8898.) †