• 303-502-9179

Author: Jeffrey Wilson

  1. Homepage
  2. Jeffrey Wilson
Why be Buried in a Catholic Cemetery │ Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc

Below is a transcript the the video:

Hello and welcome to funeral facts with Deacon Marc we are going to dive into today the question of why be buried in the Catholic cemetery, in the Catholic Cemetery what are the benefits of it and so that’s what going talk about.

Last week we talked about why being be buried in turn in a cemetery in general now we’re going to talk about the Catholic cemetery and what is the benefit of being in a Catholic cemetery and there are a couple of different benefits to it.

One is the care. The obligation according to Canon law for diocese to take care of their cemeteries and so oftentimes with effective leadership within the diocese as we have here in Denver the Catholic cemeteries are well beyond what you’ll find anywhere else in the local area and so the quality of the beauty that is there is just exceptional we really strive to have beauty because it’s one of those 3 transcendentals truth goodness and beauty and it’s a way to be drawn towards God and the love of God and so that is one piece of it that’s just secure the beauty that you typically find in a Catholic cemetery.

The second piece is tradition. When you go back into the early Christians, not the ones that arrive early to mass on a Sunday, but early Christians went right after Jesus went up ascending to heaven. In those early days of the church they started having martyrs and what they would often do is bury is have a church near where that person was martyred and then cemeteries started being built by those churches.

And so there’s a long tradition in Christianity and Catholicism of having the Catholic Church be the center of cemeteries and where people are laid to rest in this day and age with land the way it is and with the church spread out the way it is in cities the way we have it oftentimes we don’t have church cemeteries although many cases we do, but in most a lot of cases we have like we have here in Denver these larger cemeteries that are run by the Catholic Church and so it’s part of our tradition of bringing that community together.

And then the third piece would be prayer, and being part of a Catholic community even upon passing away we truly know and believe that prayers are prayers for those who’ve passed away make a difference and we’re called to pray for them as one of those spirit spiritual works of mercy is to pray for the dead.

So being buried here at a Catholic cemetery you have people regularly praying for those that are in our care here at the cemetery every First Friday of the month for the last decades of years and we’ve been having the First Friday that’s what we’ve been praying for all those who are in our care we get together regularly as a staff every morning we’re praying for those that are in our care and see how those prayers being said formally but then I can’t tell you how many times I’m walking and driving around the cemetery and see people walking around just saying prayers for all those that they come across as they’re walking through the cemetery.

Actually have one priest great suggestions he said go in any section of the cemetery on like All Souls day and just as you pass each gravesite say a Hail Mary with that person’s name as you walk by them and just pray for them so you’re part of this community.

We often joke we have over 150,000 people here at Mount Olivet it I think we probably have the largest parish in the whole archdiocese if we actually qualified as a parish and so there is this community of a faithful that are here and that we pray for on a daily basis.

So, does it make a difference being buried in a Catholic Cemetery? Absolutely, you’re on consecrated ground you have that prayerful community with you and we really strive to make sure that there is that beauty that it should be there and then it draws us closer to God and so funeral facts with Deacon Marc this Friday; why should we be buried in a Catholic Cemetery? Tradition, beauty, and in the prayers that go along with it.

Have a great week and God bless!

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

Why Cremated Remains Should be Interred in a Cemetery – Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc

Below is a transcript the the video:

Welcome the funeral facts with Deacon Marc. We have talked about a lot of different things over the last couple weeks the last couple months and today and then the next session we want to talk about two things that are related. Why should I have my remains interred in a cemetery and, two, why should I have my remains interred in a Catholic cemetery.

We’ll take each of those separately in two different sessions but so today we’ll talk about why should I have my remains interred in a cemetery so just to get it right off the bat we don’t often have conversations about whole bodies being buried in the backyard or in anywhere else at this point in time typically a traditional burial happens in a cemetery so for the most part when we’re talking about why should we be buried in a cemetery or interred at a cemetery we’re talking about cremated remains  and so we want to talk about three different areas the security, this psychological, and then the spiritual. And then all three of those pieces go into the big overarching piece of the whole thing of respect for the body and so let me talk about each one of those pieces separately so that we can give you some insight into why the church says yes you should be interred in a cemetery.

So, let’s start with security; was recently watching the news and on the news was a lady whose house was burglarized robbed and the people took many different things TV, money, jewelry, and this pretty vase that was left on top of the mantle. It wasn’t a vase it was an urn and they were on the news asking for their loved one back. so one reason why it being turned into a cemetery is for that safety and security of your loved one that they’re in a place that is safe and secure for their loved one to be laid for eternal rest.

Then, it brings into the psychological it helps the grieving process. I was talking to a pastor who often has people coming to them and saying hey I’ve lost my loved one X number of years ago and I’m still really grieving is that normal? and he always asks the question “was it the person buried traditionally in a casket or was the person cremated?” and then he asked the question every time he asked the question where are the cremated remains he gets the answer “they’re in the house somewhere…” and so there’s a directly direct tie between being able to go through the grieving process and then also having those cremated remains, the remains of a loved one, in a cemetery it gives you that break that changed realized life is changing. I know we all want to hold on to our loved ones but having that person in the cemetery still allows us to go and visit them but also realizing that life is changing.

And then the third piece is the spiritual side of it. Spiritually when we place our loved one into a cemetery whether they’re in a casket going into the ground, in a mausoleum, whether it’s cremated remains when we close that door when we lower them into the ground when we cover them up we are at that committal we’re also saying God I turn this loved one over to you, I give this person to you. And so we’re giving that word spiritually saying I’m trusting I’m God I’m having that hope and God

So all that comes down together if you take all three of those components together it really is about respecting the body the body that is created in the in the likeness and the image of God and so all the why do we do all those things out of respect for the body and so there is very good reason why we want individuals to be interred placed buried into a cemetery spiritually, for security wise, and for psychological reasons and overall for the respect of the body.

It does make a difference.

That is this week’s funeral facts with Deacon Marc

You have a good week and God bless you!

For more information about our ministry services, visit our website at: https://cfcscolorado.org/services/

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

“Bring Them Home Mass” gives families with cremated loved ones peace of mind

 

By Deacon Marc Nestorick

“I have had these cremated remains of my mother in my house for years; what should I do with them?” Too many people ask this question after a loved one is cremated and remains are brought home. While it is the teaching of the Church that individuals, whether full body or cremated, should be placed in a cemetery, this does not happen as often as it should. There are many different reasons people elect to bring their loved one’s cremated remains home- financial, difficulty in making the transition, convenience, etc. Typically, this is not a healthy choice for the grieving process or the spiritual growth of the survivor. In the end, many struggle as to how to respectfully place their loved one in a cemetery.

On All Souls Day this year, Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services (CFCS) offered individuals the opportunity to inter the cremated remains of their deceased loved ones in the ‘Crypt of All Souls’ in Ascension Mausoleum at no cost to the family. Thirty-nine individuals were placed in the ‘Crypt of All Souls’ this year. Some of the individuals passed away this year. Others passed away decades ago. In each case, the families decided that it was time to place their loved one in a cemetery to provide peace and security. One family member stated, “I just didn’t know what to do. This has brought us such peace.”

Family members were invited to attend a Mass followed by the Committal Service. Approximately 225 people attended. This ended with each family member bringing their loved one’s cremated remains forward to be interred in the ‘Crypt of All Souls.’ Final prayers were said for the deceased, and a blessing was provided to those in attendance.

While this is the first time CFCS offered the “Bring Them Home Mass,” the cemetery has been taking cremated remains into its care for many years.  On the third Wednesday of each month, a loved one’s cremated remains are interred into the ‘Crypt of All Souls’ with a Committal Service. The number of interred ranges from 10 – 20 per month. Again, this is done at no cost to the families. “While we take cremated remains into our care every month, we wanted to take the opportunity on this All Souls Day to increase an awareness of the opportunity to bring cremated remains into our care and the importance of that internment.” Deacon Marc, Outreach Manager for the Cemetery, went on to say that “we intend to continue our monthly ‘Crypt of All Souls’ Services while also holding the ‘Bring Them Home Mass’ on future All Souls Days.”  The work of CFCS is focused on helping people fill the void of loss with faith, and this day brought the closure that so many needed.

If you would like more information about the Crypt of All Souls, please get in touch with Deacon Marc Nestorick at deacon.nestorickm@archden.org or call the cemetery at 303-715-2083.

https://cfcscolorado.org/events/bring-them-home-mass/

https://cfcscolorado.org/mission-programs/crypt-of-all-souls/

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

Veteran Funeral and Cemetery Services – Denver, Colorado │ Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc

Below is a transcript the the video:

Hello and welcome to this week’s funeral facts of Deacon Marc, we want to talk about two things.

We’re going to start by talking about Veteran Services and then we’re going to talk about taking care of those in need and those that can’t for the funeral so we’re going to talk about those two pieces at to wrap up our series on the ministries of Catholic Funeral Cemetery Services Archdiocese of Denver and then we’ll go from there.

So today, Veteran Services. Just wanted to let people know that we do have many veterans buried here at Mount Olivet at Saint Simeon and we work with the veteran’s families to make sure that they receive their military honors to many veterans. It’s important for them to be buried in a Catholic cemetery and we can do that here. We also have programs in place to help make it more affordable for veterans to be buried in the Catholic Cemetery if that’s what they wish to do.

So please there’s a page on our website that talks about Veteran’s Services and our ministry to help the veterans as well.

https://cfcscolorado.org/mission-programs/veteran-services

But I want to talk today mostly about those who cannot afford a funeral and the piece that is important for you to know is the Catholic Church is taking care of many many and most of those in the Denver metropolitan area we have regularly individuals coming into our care that have passed away unfortunately with absolutely no means.

It doesn’t mean they’re homeless they may have been living with a family member and have no resources no savings nothing and they passed away with nothing and so we work with those families we work with the county government to provide them a proper funeral and what does that mean?

We provide them with, for example, if they’re Catholic they can have the mass they can have the committal they’re placed in a grave that is with a vault and proper casket and with a headstone with their name on it.

There’s some restrictions on it, to be good stewards you know but with what the monument is we have a standard monument for the for the families that we’re working with that are needing these services but at the same point in time every person that comes to us is given a dignified and spiritual burial here at Mount Olivet.

We haven’t turned anybody away, it is a sacrifice on many families parts for the funeral and things like that but please know those who can’t afford it a funeral are receiving it and they’re receiving it through the Catholic Church.

That is funeral facts with Deacon Marc, make it a great week.

For more information about our Veteran services, visit: https://cfcscolorado.org/mission-programs/veteran-services/

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

New Outdoor Altar Consecrated – Mount Olivet Cemetery Section 52

New Outdoor Altar Consecrated

Mount Olivet Cemetery Section 52

Construction of the central gazebo in Section 52 was completed in the Spring of 2023. A new outdoor altar was installed in September 2023 and it was consecrated during a special Mass on Sept. 19, 2023. Outdoor Masses are now possible in this space. To inquire about scheduling an outdoor Mass in Section 52, please email cfcs.outreach@archden.org.

The initial development of the new Section 52 at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery was completed in the fall of 2022. Section 52 offers casket and cremation burial plots. The section is divided into two parts. The north half is dedicated to Our Lady of Guadalupe while the south half is dedicated to Our Lady of La Vang. To speak with a Family Service Advisor and learn more about burial options in Section 52, click here.

For more information about our new developments, visit the following link: https://cfcscolorado.org/new-developments/

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

Precious Lives Burial Ministry – Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc

Below is a transcript the the video:

Hello and welcome to funeral Facts with Deacon Mark.

We started last week talking about the ministries we offer as part of the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Funeral Cemetery Services of Colorado and we talked about the crypt of all souls. Today, we’re going to talk about a very special ministry program we have called Precious Lives and it’s a program where at no cost of families, we take into our care.

Those babies that are lost prematurely through stillbirth, through miscarriage, and we give them a funeral and we give them a committal as well and so it’s a beautiful ministry, but I want to start with the why do we do it?

People ask why do you? Why do you take care of these babies?

Bottom line answer is they’re babies. We believe as a church that life starts at the time of conception and so these individuals that are in the womb of their mothers are children, children of God unfortunately we don’t get to meet them or spend a lot of time with them but they are children of god and so we want to treat them respectfully and we want to give them a burial here.

Every month on the third Wednesday of the month we have families coming to us that have lost their babies and we provide them at no cost at all a funeral and we do it right here in the chapel so we provide that funeral for them, and then we go out and we have the precious life sections in our cemetery where we lay those babies to rest and often times the parents can then come back and see their baby that they lost and be with that child they lost and cared so much for.

So, we do have the precious lives, and we want everybody to know about it. Because way too any families experience miscarriages and experience this type of loss and we want them to know that the church is here to care for their loved one, care for their baby but also care for them as a couple.

That’s this week’s Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc.

Make it a great week.

For more information about the Precious Lives Burial Program, visit the following link: https://cfcscolorado.org/mission-programs/precious-lives-burial/

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

Burying the Dead, a Spiritual Act of Mercy

Burying the dead is one of the Spiritual Acts of Mercy.

 

Funerals give us the opportunity to grieve and show others support during difficult times.  Through our prayers and actions during these times we show our respect for life, which is always a gift from God, and comfort to those who mourn.

  • Send a card to someone who has recently lost a loved one. Make your own card and use some of these prayers (click here).
  • Visit the cemetery and pray for those you have lost.
  • Spend time planning your own funeral mass, read through the Order of Christian Funerals and find our hope in the Resurrection. For a free funeral and cemetery planning guide, click here.

Source: https://www.usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/how-we-teach/new-evangelization/jubilee-of-mercy/the-spiritual-works-of-mercy

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

Crypt of All Souls – Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc

Below is a transcript the the video:

Hello and welcome to Funeral Facts with Deacon Mark.

We have started these series by first looking at the right of Christian Funerals and we did a couple podcasts on that. We then did a series on cremation and now we’re going to start a third piece with it our third series and talking about the ministry programs we have here at Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services of Colorado.

First of all, we are a ministry.

We are part of the Archdiocese of Denver and so we have several ministries that we make sure to help fulfill dead. We have the Crypt of All Souls which we’ll talk about today, next time we’ll talk about precious lives and then, we’ll talk about two groups; care for those that can’t afford a funeral and also care or our veterans and how we help support the veterans who want to be buried in the Catholic Cemetery

So that will be our three series but today, we’re going to talk about Crypt of All Souls and go right from cremation into crypt of all souls. One of the things we talked about in cremation is that the body should be placed in a Catholic Cemetery and we have people that can’t afford that or different things and so, we have what we call the crypt of all souls.

It’s a crypt where we place on a monthly basis through a committal service, cremated remains at no cost to the family and this could be done for a wide variety of reasons and biggest reason is people have just paid for the cremation and all those different pieces and they can’t afford the the private niche or the private burial. So, we do offer the Crypt of All Souls.

We offer the Crypt of All Souls and not only to people who pass away recently but often times, we’ll get people who are cleaning out grandma’s house and they’ll find cremated remains in there or they will be at a yard sale or different places and find cremated remains and so we take all those cremated remains into our care at no cost anyone.

On the third Wednesday of the month, we have a deacon that comes in and we take those cremated remains. We take them to the crypt where they’re going to be laid to rest and we perform the right of committal for those individuals that are being laid to rest there and so they have that committal that people would have if they were being buried in a cemetery and so it’s a beautiful, beautiful process.

It helps people take that opportunity to have their loved one in the cemetery. It also provides for the respect of the person and so if you’re interested in the crypt of all souls, if maybe you have cremated remains in your house or know someone who does, please give us a call and we’ll be happy to help you connect you with how to have that loved one placed in our Crypt of All Souls.

That is this week’s Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc.

Make it a great week.

For more information about the Crypt of All Souls, visit the following link: https://cfcscolorado.org/mission-programs/crypt-of-all-souls/

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

What is a Catholic Cemetery?

Below is a transcript the the video:

So, you might be wondering, what is a Catholic cemetery and why is it important?

The grounds of a Catholic cemetery are consecrated and are an extension of the Catholic Church.   They play a vital role in our Catholic faith and are a symbol of the reverence we hold for the human body when the soul passes on to God.  The cemetery says to the world, the body rests here in this sacred ground to be remembered and reverenced as we wait, in hope, for the promise of the resurrection.

So, when families come to Mt. Olivet Cemetery, they enjoy the beauty and they are comforted as they remember their loved ones, knowing that that they all will one day be reunited together with God.  And to clarify, you don’t need to be Catholic to be buried at Mt. Olivet. We are available to all faiths.

For more information about our cemetery services in the Denver Metro Area, visit https://cfcscolorado.org/services/cemetery/

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

Cremation and the Catholic Holy Mass – Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc

Below is a transcript the the video:

Hello and welcome to this week’s Funeral Facts with Deacon Mark.

We’ve been doing a series on cremation, and we talked about is cremation permitted in the Catholic Church. We talked about do’s and don’ts of cremation. Today we’re going to address our final question and that is, can you have a funeral mass if you’re cremated?

The basic answer to that is yes. But let’s go into a couple details of it.

First of all, if you’re going to be cremated it is preferred that the body be present for the mass. So, the idea being you have the vigil, you have the mass, then you have the cremation and then you place the individual into a cemetery.

So that is the preferred way. There’s a lot of spiritual and psychological benefits to it. There’s a benefit to your family, seeing the body there, being present there, seeing the body at the mass, receiving communion and all that with the body presence. So that is the preferred, it is permitted to have the cremated remains present.

So, you can have the cremated remains present instead of the body, but it’s preferred to have the body. Now People ask, well, why would you not have the body?

Having the body present is a little bit more expensive because there’s transporting the body, caring for the body. You need a casket, all those different types of things. So, the preferred is the body present but it is permitted to have the cremated remains there.

If the cremated remains are present the mass and the committal are very similar except for a few minor things that a lot of people wouldn’t even notice. The biggest one that people probably would notice is there’s no pall placed onto the cremated remains we place a pall on the casket reminding us of the white garment we receive at the baptism and that is connected to dying and rising with Christ and so we put the pall on the casket to remind us of our baptism and the connection to the baptism. If the cremated remains are there, we don’t do anything as far as putting the pall on there and all that. So that’s the biggest piece.

The piece that most people wouldn’t notice is there’s some little minor changes in the prayers that are said. But other than that, it is a funeral mass as everything else would be.

And so, we’re looking at yes you can have a funeral mass if you’re cremated preferably with the body present but if not still have that mass because we want you to have graces of that mass as you go on your journey to the heavenly father.

This is Funeral Facts with Deacon Mark.

Have a great week.

 

Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado
A Ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver

Funeral | Cremation | Cemetery |

©2022 Archdiocese of Denver - All Rights Reserved | 12801 W. 44th Avenue Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033
Immediate Need

303-425-9511

General Inquiry

303-502-9179

X