“It is certainly an honor as bishop of our diocese to be here today and to bless these resting places,” said Bishop Parkes. 

“One of the Corporal Works of Mercy is to bury the dead, and as a Church we take that very seriously. By providing a dignified, a sacred place for the dead to be buried, we fulfil that work of mercy. I think our people find comfort in knowing that their loved ones are in a sacred resting place," added Bishop Parkes during his opening remarks to those gathered for the event.

Resurrection Cemetery is a ministry of the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, where mausoleums and cremation niches are sparsely placed within the natural wooded lands of a 120-acre nature preserve. The Cemetery will continue to grow over the years. Phase One that is currently underway includes 1,784 spaces for caskets and 1,776 niche spaces for cremains. 

Terry Young, Director of Cemeteries for the Diocese of St. Petersburg stated, “It is a privilege to serve Hillsborough County families and the larger community in their time of need.”

Patrick and Carol Laratta of Tampa, purchased their final resting place at Resurrection.

"We went out to look at it and it was a gorgeous spot. I didn't feel like it was a cemetery because cemeteries are usually flat with tombstones. But here, it's all mausoleums and beautiful trees. It felt like a good place," said Patrick.

The Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg also owns Calvary Catholic Cemetery, located in Clearwater.

For more information on Resurrection Cemetery visit ResurrectionCemeteryFl.com

For photos from the blessing and dedication click below.