Catholic Cemeteries Announces 2026 Fall Open House Weekends Across Northern New Jersey

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Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Newark

Sep 04, 2026, 06:10 ET

Six locations will offer pre-planning guidance and 0% interest financing for 48 months from September through November.

EAST HANOVER, N.J., Sept. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Newark will host its 2026 Fall Open House season from Sept. 12 through Nov. 8 at six cemeteries and mausoleums across Northern New Jersey. Families may meet one-on-one with Memorial Planning Advisors, explore traditional burial, mausoleum, and cremation options, and receive 0% interest financing for 48 months during each Open House weekend.

0% INTEREST FOR 48 MONTHS—through Sept. 13! Visit Gate of Heaven Cemetery in East Hanover, NJ, for Open House Weekend, Sept. 12–13, 8:30 AM–4:30 PM. Tour our beautiful grounds and Chapel Mausoleum of the Resurrection, explore burial and cremation options, and meet with a Memorial Planning Advisor. No appointment or obligation required. Learn more: rcancem.org/open-house/gate-of-heaven

Rondanini Pietà Statue at sunset - As spring begins its long-awaited arrival, Gate of Heaven Cemetery welcomes a profound new addition to its grounds – a masterful interpretation of Michelangelo’s final work, the Rondanini Pietà. Standing 16 feet tall in luminous Carrara marble, this remarkable sculpture now graces the cemetery’s entrance, offering a striking visual welcome and a profoundly moving spiritual presence to all who pass by.

Chapel Mausoleum of the Resurrection - The new Chapel Mausoleum of the Resurrection features elegant marble crypts, glass-and-marble cremation niches, and a new chapel section dedicated exclusively to cremations. It also features several magnificent works of art, including a two-story mosaic of Jesus Christ bursting out of the tomb in brilliant, bright colors.

Stained-glass sanctuary — The Peacemaker stained-glass window is a radiant place for prayer and remembrance inspired by the Sermon on the Mount, also known as the Beatitudes. The Peacemaker stained-glass window is installed on the second floor in the new cremation chapel on the opposite side of the mosaic. The window, saved from the former Sacred Heart Church in Vailsburg, a neighborhood in northern Newark, NJ, depicts Christ with the 12 apostles.

No appointment is necessary, and there is no obligation. Families may walk in during event hours or schedule in advance to discuss pre-planning, memorialization, and payment options.

The Fall Open House season coincides with the 2026 Special Jubilee Year of Saint Francis, marking the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi and offering families an opportunity to reflect on faith, hope in the Resurrection and the peace that can come from planning ahead.

"During this Year of Saint Francis, may the decisions we make today reflect our hope in the Resurrection and become a lasting gift of peace to those we love," said Joseph Heckel, Executive Director, Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Newark. "Pre-planning helps ensure that our wishes are known while relieving loved ones of difficult decisions during a time of loss."

2026 Fall Open House Schedule

Sept. 12–13 — Gate of Heaven Cemetery & Mausoleum, 225 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover
Sept. 26–27 — Maryrest Cemetery & Mausoleum, 770 Darlington Ave., Mahwah
Sept. 26–27 — Christ the King Cemetery, 980 Huron Rd., Franklin Lakes
Oct. 10–11 — Holy Cross Cemetery & Mausoleum, 340 Ridge Rd., North Arlington
Oct. 24–25 — Saint Gertrude Cemetery & Mausoleum, 53 Inman Ave., Colonia
Nov. 7–8 — Holy Name Cemetery & Mausoleum, 823 West Side Ave., Jersey City

All events run from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Catholic Cemeteries provides traditional in-ground burial, mausoleum entombment, and cremation niche options rooted in Catholic teaching and tradition. Families may visit rcancem.org/open-house or email [email protected] for information or to connect with a Memorial Planning Advisor.

SOURCE Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of Newark