Why do Catholic Churches not have cemeteries in the church grounds?

Answer 1

real estate costs? All dioceses have cemeteries which neatly meet the requirement for interment in a Catholic consecrated ground. Some are quite large and have different sections- at least as diversified as any secular burial ground. On the other hand, there are specialized cemeteries and mausoleums at the Motherhouses of various convents, the Motherhouse is in effect a headquarters base for the Religious orders, and these are almost captive cities, with schools, health-care facilities on site and of course, funeral chapels and cemeteries. Convent Station on the former Erie-Lackawanna line is a good example of a Motherhouse. In some locations, not necessarily Motherhouses, Sometimes deceased nuns are buried in storage vaults in the back of a church, this might be a temporary thing, like the Receiving Vaults at major cemeteries. ( where weather or other factors- such as well, the disruptions of the Sandy storm, may have wrought. My Mother said there were a number of cases where she saw Nuns temporarily buried in the back of a church, which was not a Motherhouse.

.

Catholic AnswerAll Catholic Churches have a cemetery, although it might not be on their grounds, but there is always a Catholic cemetery available. In the few instances where there is no Catholic cemetery, the priest will bless the plot in another cemetery. Most Churches in the United States do not have cemeteries on the Church grounds because the Church was centrally located for ease of the immigrant population in already existing cities, and there was not enough land available to put a cemetery there as well. In older Catholic countries, cemeteries were usually near the Church. In England, most Church yards had their own cemeteries, but Henry VIII stole all the Church's property, so current Catholic Churches are newer and did not have land available - as is the case in the United States.