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Classification: Part-Time, non-exempt (5-15 hours per week)
Reports to: Parochial Administrator/Pastor & Business Manager
Summary/Objective:
The Catholic Church considers burying the dead to be a corporal work of mercy and sanctifies its cemeteries where the mortal remains of the baptized await the resurrection on the Last Day. The parish sexton is responsible for the Parishes six cemeteries, especially the day-to-day operations of St. Jerome Cemetery. This includes grounds maintenance, grave sales, funeral coordination and records maintenance. The sexton advises the pastor regarding the strategic needs of the cemetery, including remaining inventory and capital needs
Essential Duties
- Maintenance Coordination: The sexton oversees that the grass is mowed and trimmed in the summer, leaves are raked in the fall, and the roads are plowed in the winter. Any fences, buildings, or other improvements must be maintained adequately. The sexton is also responsible for enforcing the published decorating rules, and for overseeing spring and fall clean-up.
- Grave Sales: The sexton is responsible for handling all aspects of grave sales in a professional manner. This will typically involve working with the Parish’s business manager to see that funds are deposited in a timely manner. When a grave is sold, the sexton works with the business manager to deposit funds in the cemetery operating account, updates the cemetery records and maps, and issues the easement specifying who has the right to be buried in which grave.
- Funeral Coordination: When a family or funeral director calls the parish to schedule a funeral, the sexton is responsible for marking the grave to be dug, arranging for the digging of the grave, ensuring the graveside is prepared for the committal, ensuring the grave is filled and tamped adequately, and growing grass on the grave following burial. This is done in coordination with the Pastor, the funeral director and the land service company digging the grave.
- Records Maintenance: Cemeteries are required by state law to maintain burial records in perpetuity. The sexton is responsible for ensuring the records are safe, accurate, up to date, and preserved for posterity. Records include burial names and locations, grave ownership and related payments, maps, and remaining inventory.
- Inventory: The sexton should report annually to the pastor the approximate number of graves remaining in the cemetery and the approximate number of years before the cemetery is full.
- Capital Needs: The sexton should regularly inform the pastor of the expected remaining life span of cemetery roads, fences, trees, and structures so that the parish can budget for foreseen needs.
- Perpetual Care: The cemetery should have a perpetual care fund separate from the operating fund. While the cemetery has remaining inventory, every effort should be made not to distribute funds from the perpetual care fund. The sexton should be aware that a portion of the income from grave sales will be moved from the cemetery operating account to the cemetery perpetual care fund and should support this by providing any documentation needed to the parish business manager and/or the parish cemetery committee.
- Committee Responsibility: The sexton will attend Parish Cemetery Committee meetings and prepare any reports required by the Pastor or the committee.
Work Relationships:
- Must interact effectively with pastor, business manager, grounds staff and volunteers, visitors, funeral home directors and staff, and families.
If interested, please reach out to Tracy Hellenbrand 608-839-7129 or tracyh@nativitylord.org for more information.