West Coast Catholics get a final resting place on parish grounds

Holy Family Parish in Sechelt has opened a new columbarium to provide a dedicated Catholic burial space for the Sunshine Coast region. The facility, located beside the church, was blessed by Archbishop Richard Smith on August 30, which also marked the interment of the first cremated remains.

The project follows five years of planning, fundraising, and construction. Father Vincent Cuong Nguyen, pastor of Holy Family, noted that the area previously lacked a Catholic cemetery, leaving local Catholics to use municipal cemeteries. The columbarium consists of a curved outdoor wall with niches to permanently seal urns.

The new space serves approximately 400 Catholic households across Holy Family and St. Mary’s Parish in Gibsons. Due to high interest, Father Nguyen expanded the original design from a single tower to the current structure. While the Church encourages burial of the body, cremation remains permitted.