A few years ago I worked as Director of Pastoral Care for a New Jersey Hospital; each Thursday the Pastoral Care Department hosted a bereavement group to help process the feelings of loss and grief that follow the death of a loved one. One evening a woman came to the group and said, “I know this may sound a bit odd, but my dog died this week and I’m finding that I’m grieving more for the loss of my dog than I did last year when my mother died following a long illness.” To some it may sound odd, but to those of us who love our pets, we know exactly what she meant. It’s that unconditional love, that co-dependence in some cases, the affection, the cuddling, the playfulness and the excitement you see when you walk in your door after being gone.
So it is a very natural emotion to mourn the death of these beloved creatures. Part of the grieving process may be for some people to know that the pets who they have loved in this life have found a resting place; a place of memory, where all God’s creatures, great and small, can be celebrated and remembered. A Cemetery for All God’s Creatures at the Historic Church of Saint Andrew in Richmondtown on Staten Island may be just the right place for you to grieve and mourn, but also to find solace and peace after the death of your beloved pet.
Situated at the end of the historic cemetery of St Andrew’s, A Cemetery for All God’s Creatures provides a calm, serene and picturesque place for meditation. The cemetery is cared for by a proficient and competent staff who are sensitive to your needs and concerns.
Feel free to contact us so that we can help make a difficult time in the life of your family a bit easier.
Sincerely,
The Rev’d Michael F. Delaney
Rector
Each plot measures 1 foot square and can hold up to 4 pets. At the time of internment pets may be memorialized through a service of prayer and reflection. Family members are encouraged to visit their beloved pets resting place and may place flowers, or other significant symbols by their grave. A personally engraved stone identifies each plot.
A shrine to St Francis of Assisi (The universal patron of all of God’s Creatures) is the center of a memorial patio, where stones may be engraved to remember a loved animal who may be buried at another location.