The new Immaculata columbarium section at Calvary Cemetery in Springfield was officially blessed on Nov. 2, with Msgr. Thomas Holinga, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, presiding.

The blessing ceremony was held on All Souls' Day, Nov. 2, when the Catholic Church worldwide remembers and prays for the faithful departed, said Linda Medlock, Calvary Cemetery manager.

"Praying for the dead is a Christian obligation," said Medlock. "In the modern world, when many have come to doubt the church's teaching on purgatory, the need for such prayers has only increased. The church devotes the month of November to prayer for the Holy Souls in purgatory, and participation in the Mass of All Souls' Day is a good way to begin the month."

This granite columbarium provides a respectful resting place for urns containing cremated remains of departed loved ones, she said. Three of the five planned structures have been installed as Phase I of the project. The central octagon unit offers 144 niches (or receptacles to house urns) and has a statue of the Immaculata as the central feature to honor Mary, the Mother of God and patroness of the Springfield Catholic diocese. The octagon is flanked by two rectangular structures that each have 96 niches.

There are single niches for one inurnment and double niches to allow, for instance, a husband and wife to share, Medlock said.

Phase I was made possible by a bequest by the late Father Joseph Miller. He was born April 1, 1910, ordained May 28, 1983 and died July 23, 2002 at the age of 92. His last assignment prior to retirement was at Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Springfield from 1960-1985.