Ministers of several faiths boarded buses Wednesday for a first-hand look at the gravesites at Alsip's Burr Oak Cemetery and to reconsecrate the grounds.

"It's heartbreaking to me. It's a lot of disturbing of loved-ones," said Chaplain Steve Jones.

They weren't able to get close to the area where FBI agents are collecting evidence, but were able to view from afar.

"Naturally we could not walk among it but it is very disturbing what runs through your mind, the kinds of crimes that apparently have been committed here. But I think all of us are satisfied that the investigation is ongoing," said Rev. Marshall Hatch.

With so many questions and concerns, the hope is that the ministers will be able to provide comfort to those with family members interred in the cemetery.

Burr Oak has been closed to the public since July 10, when it was labeled as a crime scene.  Nearly 300 graves have been found to be disturbed, with more discovered each day, Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart said.  Four former employees have been charged with dismembering bodies.

"For people to desecrate these graves and to do these terrible things, it just shows enormous disrespect for God and tremendous disrespect for other people," said Rev. Rodney Reinhart.

While he hopes to reopen the cemetery to the public within two weeks, Dart said the investigation could take months. And because
workers are mainly finding individual bones rather than whole skeletons, the sheriff said it'll be difficult to ever know how many bodies were disinterred. On Tuesday alone, investigators found 40 more bones, he said.

Burr Oak is owned by Tucson, Ariz.-based Perpetua Inc., which owns another Illinois cemetery -- Cedar Park in Calumet Park. Dart
said no problems have been found there so far.

Copyright Associated Press / NBC Chicago

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