UPDATED MONDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

On behalf of the staff at Gardens of Gethsemani we hope you are safe and coping as best as possible. This advisory provides information on restrictions made with a view to balancing staff and family safety and being pastoral in the services we provide.

GARDENS OF GETHSEMANI IS HERE TO SERVE YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

We can serve you by phone, online or by in-person appointments Monday – Saturday 9:00 am – 4:30 pm at 604-531-2141. Please note in-person meetings are by appointment only due to limited office space.

The office door is locked during operating hours and opened for appointments and for deliveries. For those coming to an appointment, please wear a safety mask when entering the office and hand sanitize. Anyone experiencing any symptoms must stay away at this time. Appointments are limited to 2 people maximum please.

Gates are open for visiting from 7 am until 5 pm. Please ensure you follow social distancing guidelines of 2 meters (6.5 feet) and follow the guidance of staff to respect distancing and parking during funeral interments.

A safety mask is required inside the office, chapel and mausoleums and at graveside committal services. Social distancing protocols need to be followed.

MAXIMUM ATTENDANCE AT FUNERALS & GRAVE SIDESERVICES

Funerals are permitted to continue but for family/ households only to a maximum of 10 participants (funeral home personnel do not count towards the 10). If you’ve had a death in the family please discuss this with your funeral home professional as well as your priest. As of 23 March 2021 the Ministry of Health issued guidelines for Outside Worship Services of up to 50. This applies to graveside services. Your funeral home director will provide important guidance on these restrictions. For families making direct cremation urn arrangements (without a funeral home), a Gardens of Gethsemani Family Services Advisor will review the requirements with you during an arrangement or pre-need appointment. The Gardens looks for collaboration and cooperation from families to meet Ministry of Health requirements and to manage family and quest expectations. Staff and visitor safety are paramount.

SCREENING

All visitors for appointments or services need to self-screen:

  • Do you have any of these symptoms? Fever or Cough/Sneezing or Difficulty Breathing/Shortness of Breath?
  • Have you or any member of your immediate family with whom you reside traveled outside of Canada in the last 14 days?
  • Have you or any member of your immediate family been in contact with someone who has or is suspected to have COVID-19?
  • Are you or any member of your immediate family in self-isolation?
  • Has Public Health been involved?

If a visitor answers YES to any of the above questions, we ask that they kindly return home and call us to make arrangements by alternative means (phone/email, etc.)

Any individual who is under self-isolation is NOT permitted to attend any of our locations for any reason.

Committal/ Burial/ Entombment services are to be private and for immediate family, pallbearers and dear friends, households per government guidelines.

While our cemetery remains open to visitors, we recommend that visits that are non-essential or unrelated to an internment service be avoided.

In the interest of everyone’s health, handshaking, hugging and other direct contact should be avoided. Unwell individuals should not attend services for any reason. We are asking families to include this information in their public obituary notice.

The container of earth or sand at graveside often sprinkled during the committal is not available at this time.

The monthly Mass of Remembrance held at the Evangelist Chapel at the Gardens of Gethsemani is suspended at this time. The names of the departed faithful are read out monthly at a mass at Holy Rosary Cathedral.

Thank you for your support of these important measures and for your understanding and patience. We pray for those infected with COVID-19, those caring for the sick and for one another.

32nd AVENUE CONSTRUCTION BETWEEN 154 STREET & 160 STREET

The City of Surrey is upgrading the road on the northern boundary of the Gardens of Gethsemani. This is to improve traffic flow and capacity. The construction period is expected to be several months and you may encounter some disruption or delay on your way to the Gardens of Gethsemani. Please allow for a little extra travel time in lieu of this work. The Gardens is working with the City to harmonize the boundary to the road which includes a new multiple use pathway that’ll be on the south side of the boulevard. A new fence will be installed and the project may involve some changes to the landscaping along 32nd Avenue.

Yours sincerely in Christ,

Peter Nobes
Director, Catholic Cemeteries