Rules of The Catholic Cemeteries

CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTORY

1. These Rules may be cited as the Catholic Cemeteries Rules.

2. In these Rules, unless the context otherwise requires –
“Diocese” （教區） means the Catholic Diocese of Hong Kong, legally known as “THE BISHOP OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH IN HONG KONG”.
“Board” （委員會） means the Diocesan Board of the Catholic Cemeteries. It is a policy making body for the Catholic Cemeteries under the direction of the Diocese. The members of the Board are appointed by the Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong.
“Catholic Cemetery” （天主教墳場） means any cemetery for the time being under the management and control of the Catholic Bishop of Hong Kong specified in Schedule I of these Rules.
“Superintendent”（監督）means the Superintendent of the Catholic Cemeteries in Hong Kong. His responsibilities are to administer and manage all the Catholic Cemeteries under the direction of the Board.
“Relative” （親屬）means the spouse, parents, parents-in-law, brothers, sisters, paternal cousins, direct descendants (including their wives and the siblings of their wives) of a deceased buried or deposited in the Catholic Cemeteries.
“Human Remains” （遺骸） means the dead body or part thereof of a human being, but does not include ashes resulting from the cremation thereof.
“Exhumed Human Remains”（骨殖） means the skeletal remains after exhumation and relocation of a fully decomposed human remains.
“Ashes” (骨灰) means the ashes resulting from the cremation of human remains.
“Permanent Burial Lot” （永久墓地） means a burial space allocated for the burial of human remains and which, under normal circumstances and within the duration stated in the Government Lease of the respective Catholic Cemetery, does not need to be exhumed and relocated. The ownership of the lot remains with the Diocese. The fees charged are for the use of the lot. The lot is not transferable, saleable, leasable and could not be reserved by the surviving relatives or legal personal representatives. The right of use of the lot would be terminated upon the exhumation and relocation of the human remains buried therein and the lot would revert to the Diocese for reallocation.
“Permanent Urn Burial Lot” （永久骨地） means a burial space allocated for the burial of exhumed human remains and which, under normal circumstances and within the duration stated in the Government Lease of the respective Catholic Cemetery, does not need to be exhumed and relocated.
The ownership of the lot remains with the Diocese. The fees charged are for the use of the lot. The lot is not transferable, saleable, leasable and could not be reserved by the surviving relatives or legal personal representatives. The right of use of the lot would be terminated upon the exhumation and
relocation of the exhumed human remains buried therein and the lot would revert to the Diocese for reallocation.
“Niche”（龕位） means a specified space allocated for the depository of exhumed human remains or ashes (the niche for exhumed human remains is known hereinafter as “ossuary niche” and the niche for ashes is known hereinafter as “urn niche”) and which, under normal circumstances and within the duration stated in the Government Lease of the respective Catholic Cemetery, does not need to be relocated. The ownership of the niche remains with the Diocese. The fees charged are for the use of the niche. The niche is not transferable, saleable, leasable and could not be reserved by the surviving relatives or legal personal representatives. The right of use of the niche would be terminated upon the relocation of the exhumed human remains or ashes deposited therein and the niche would revert to the Diocese for reallocation.
“Exhumable Burial Lot”（暫時墓地 ） means a burial space allocated for the burial of human remains which are to be exhumed and relocated after a prescribed period according to the provisions made in these Rules.
“Burial” （安葬） includes coffin burial of human remains in permanent burial lot or exhumable burial lot; burial or depository of exhumed human remains in permanent burial lot, permanent urn burial lot, ossuary niche or designated depository for exhumed human remains; burial or depository of ashes in permanent burial lot, permanent urn burial lot or urn niche.
“Burial Ground” （墳地） includes the permanent burial lot, the permanent urn burial lot, the ossuary niche, the urn niche and the exhumable burial lot.
“Recognized Representative” （認可代表）means any person holding the official receipt or the replacement receipt of the burial ground allocated to the deceased buried therein.

3. Catholic Cemeteries are governed by the Board under these Rules, the Private Cemeteries Regulation made under the Public Health and Municipal Services Ordinance and other related statutory legislation of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

4. Catholic Cemeteries are reserved for the burial of Catholics in accordance with the provisions made by these Rules.