Are burial vaults required by law or are they just another way for the cemetery to make money?
No. Burial vaults are not required by law. By the same token, most cemeteries do not make any money from the sale of burial vaults. All Diocesan cemeteries and most other cemeteries require them for several reasons. First, without burial vaults the casket and body eventually decay and collapse, leaving a void under ground. The grave slowly settles and becomes unsightly. In addition, the terrain becomes uneven and difficult to maintain. Most importantly, however, these graves become a safety hazard. It is not uncommon for a worker to become injured when an old grave suddenly collapses underfoot.
