I was hanging out with my friend Tyler a couple years ago—before he had even turned 30—when he mentioned purchasing a cemetery plot for his final resting place. My coupon-cutting, Aldi-loving friend makes thriftiness an art, and on this occasion, when I teased him, he said something along the lines of, “Lock in those prices now! Think about what inflation will do by the time we die.”
I don’t know if he ever did buy that plot, as his immediate financial plans changed when he entered seminary for the Diocese of Greensburg shortly thereafter (I’m sure I’ll get a call about it when he reads this). He did have a point, though. Especially now that I have a daughter, I’m realizing that it is probably better to plan for your own demise sooner rather than later, so that your loved ones are protected and don’t have to do it for you.
This issue of The Catholic Echo features our Death & Grieving Guide and related content. If, like me, you’re interested in estate and end-of-life planning but don’t know where to start, I recommend you check out the story on page 26 of this magazine, where diocesan lawyer Robert Fulton lists the individual documents and preparations you should consider.
On page 14, you’ll find a feature story on how our parish cemeteries are transitioning to new management, and page 34 delves a bit into the history of cemeteries. Other content in this magazine includes a feature on cultivating gratefulness (page 18), a column on Catholic social teaching (page 28), information on the Annual Diocesan Appeal (page 24) and much more.
In this season of gratitude, please know how grateful we here at the Catholic Echo are for each of you. Your readership gives us purpose, and your interest in our faith helps keep the Church alive.
Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless,
Katie Wagner
