Holy Hope Cemetery embarks on 25-year master plan

By Ernie Duarte, Executive Director, Holy Hope Cemetery

Holy Hope Cemetery has reached an important milestone with the development of a 25-Year Master Plan. Created in collaboration with Seaver Franks Architects, cemetery board members, stakeholders, and cemetery leadership, this comprehensive plan provides a thoughtful and sustainable framework to guide future growth while honoring the sacred nature of our grounds.


Key elements of the plan include:

• Long-term land use planning for traditional burial, cremation memorialization, and green space preservation
• Infrastructure improvements such as updated roads, utilities, and enhanced security
• Expanded service offerings, including new memorial gardens, additional columbarium and mausoleum spaces, and future chapel and crematory options

Ongoing Improvements as part of the Master Plan

• Street Repaving
   This past August, over one-half mile of new street pavement was completed. This project represents the second year of a five-year plan to repave all three miles of roads within the cemetery. 
• New Monument Entrance
   On September 29, construction began on a new monument entrance at Prince Road. The entrance will feature tasteful lighted signage and desert landscaping, creating a welcoming and dignified gateway. A new automated gate will also allow for expanded access hours. 
• Expanded Cremation Options
   In late October, work will begin to expand cremation offerings within the mausoleum and in the Garden of the Three Sisters. More than 750 new cremation niches will be installed in response to the growing preference for cremation nationwide. These additions will provide families with more options for prayerful remembrance in a sacred setting. 

Through these ongoing improvements, Holy Hope Cemetery seeks not only to care for the practical needs of the future, but also to preserve a sacred place where the faithful may encounter the peace of Christ. Each addition and enhancement is a reminder of our call to honor the dignity of every life, to comfort grieving families, and to provide a holy ground of prayer and hope for generations yet to come.  

These updates are critical because Holy Hope Cemetery has served Catholic families in Southern Arizona since 1907.  Today, the cemetery encompasses just over 90 acres and includes more than 50,000 burial spaces, the majority of which are developed and or currently occupied. The expansions identified in the recently adopted 25-Year Master Plan are key to ensuring that Holy Hope can continue to fulfill its mission in the decades ahead, particularly in cremation offerings.  
 
The national trend in cremations is increasing at a rapid pace.  The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) projects the cremation rate for 2025 to be 63 percent.  NFDA projects this rate to be at 82 percent by 2045.  Holy Hope is increasing its quickly shrinking inventory of cremation space offerings to keep up with the demand.
 
This expansion represents a continuation of the Church’s ministry.  This long-term plan provides the Diocese the ability to sustain this ministry while maintaining the beauty and respectful stewardship that families have trusted for more than a century.
 
In a few days we’ll celebrate our annual All Souls Day Mass. November 1 is a Holy Day of Obligation. All are welcome to attend as it is a time for our Catholic community to come together in faith and love to pray for our departed loved ones, find comfort in God’s promise of eternal life, and strengthen the bond that unites us all as one family in Christ.