Holy Hope Cemetery, sacred and peaceful grounds

July 23, 2024

By New Outlook

It’s rare to find a consistently lush green landscape in Tucson but Holy Hope Cemetery offers that and much more, especially for Catholics in our diocese. The Diocese of Tucson maintains oversight of two cemeteries in Tucson; Holy Hope Cemetery and Our Lady of the Desert. Three other locations are available in Yuma and Sierra Vista, while many parishes are directly responsible for other cemeteries throughout the diocese.

Earlier this year, native Tucsonan and faithful Catholic Ernie Duarte took the helm at Holy Hope, the first Catholic cemetery in Tucson. Duarte recently spoke with the New Outlook and shared his perspective on the historic cemetery’s role in the Church and our community.

You recently joined the team at Holy Hope, what have you done to better streamline services?

We’ve really put an emphasis on customer service with mercy and compassion in everything we do. Our business services functions have been equipped with tools and technology that allow us to provide that quality service our families deserve. We’ve also placed a very high priority on improving and maintaining our cemetery grounds, buildings and infrastructure to the level expected by our cemetery families.

Why should Catholics be buried in a Catholic cemetery?

The Catholic cemeteries were created to carry out the sacred function of burying the deceased and caring for their final resting place. This is done as a vital part of the Catholic Community and under the direction of the Bishop of the Diocese of Tucson. When choosing a Catholic Cemetery, you are choosing to be buried or entombed on consecrated grounds and are entrusting yourself or your loved one to be cared for by people dedicated to the Corporal Work of Mercy.

What's the value in preplanning a funeral?

Peace of mind. Planning your funeral and cemetery wishes is one of the most loving and responsible things a person can do. By doing so, you can ensure your wishes are met and that your family is not burdened by having to make burial arrangements during the emotionally difficult time that comes with the passing of a loved one.

What is the range of cost for services?

We continue to strive to keep our prices affordable. As a Catholic, non-profit organization, our pricing structure is aimed at recovering our costs solely to pay for the ongoing operation of the cemeteries. Pricing for burials can run anywhere between $6,595.00 - $12,990.00. Pricing for memorials start at $1,800.00 for granite memorials and $4,000.00 for bronze. We are pleased to be able to offer payment plans for families wishing to pre-plan their cemetery services. These plans are offered at 0% interest.

There's been negative press about criminal activity on the grounds, what measures have you taken to ensure the property will remain safe, sacred, and holy?

Sadly, much of the city is being affected by many socioeconomic ills. The area around Holy Hope and Evergreen cemeteries is not immune. However, we place a very high priority on safety and security for all our staff, families and visitors. We contract for private security patrols and monitoring to help create and preserve a cemetery environment that is reflective and peaceful.

Holy Hope Cemetery has a longstanding history in the community, in fact, all the diocese’s bishops and many of our deceased priests are buried there, what sorts of services are offered to maintain Catholicity?

Both Holy Hope and Our Lady of the Desert celebrate monthly Masses in our Mausoleums. They are typically celebrated on the first Saturday of the month at Our Lady of the Desert at All Faiths and on the third Saturday of the month at Holy Hope, each at 8:30 AM. The names of the deceased that were buried or entombed the previous month are read during Mass. This would be a great time to come see our facilities and our grounds and celebrate Mass. You can also meet our Family Counselors and have any questions you might have about the Cemeteries answered. I would encourage everyone to visit our website https://dotcc.org/ and read more about our history and the services we offer to our Catholic community.