DCNY & Graverobbing

Last week a columbarium was installed at Christ Church in Binghamton. This would be pretty much a non-story except for a few facts. First, the columbarium was removed from 401 Mirador Road, the former location of St. Andrew's Anglican Church. Second, those with the remains of loved ones interred in the columbarium were notified by letter which at least one person received after the columbarium was moved. The letter indicated that the columbarium was going to be moved, and when the loved one went the next day to 401 Mirador it was already gone.

When inquiries were made about the whereabouts of the columbarium, the inquirers were told that it was in "safe storage." They were not told where and they were not told what constituted "safe storage;" they were given no details except that it would one day be relocated to Christ Church. The columbarium which once resided on the 401 Mirador property and could be visited at any hour day or night is now in the close at Christ Church. This means that viewing hours are limited to church hours. Secondly, one has to pass through Christ Church to get to the columbarium site.

Those with a material interest in the columbarium were not consulted about the moving of the columbarium nor about the new location. As with the bulldozing of buildings at the Thornfield Conference Center, notification was done after the act. This is not a good arrangement, but as with the bulldozing of Thornfield, the diocese didn't ask for input from concerned parties. One would have to conclude that the DCNY doesn't care what anyone else thinks.

The upside for DCNY is that Christ Church can pick up a few bucks as it uses the columbarium as its own. Graverobbing does have its benefits.