Holy Water – Funeral Symbols | Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc
Deacon Marc discusses the symbolism and use of holy water in Catholic funeral services.
Ministry Newsletter │ September 2024
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The Month of September is Dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows
The month of September is dedicated to Our Lady of Sorrows, whose memorial the Church celebrates on September 15th. Devotion to the sorrows of the Virgin Mary dates from the twelfth century, when it made its appearance in monastic circles under the influence of St. Anselm and St. Bernard.
The 7 Sorrows of Mary
1) The Prophecy of Simeon (Luke 2:34-35)
2) The Flight into Egypt (Matthew 2:13-21)
3) The Loss of Jesus for Three Days (Luke 2:41-50)
4) The Carrying of the Cross (John 19:17)
5) The Crucifixion of Jesus (John 19:18-30)
6) Jesus Taken Down from the Cross (John 19:39-40)
7) Jesus Laid in the Tomb (John 19:39-42)
May you have a blessed and spiritually fruitful month of September!
Servant of God Julia Greeley’s Love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Servant of God Julia Greeley’s Love for the Sacred Heart of Jesus, by Fr. Blain Burkey, O.F.M. Cap.
Below is a transcript the the video:
Involvement in the Sacred Heart of the, she was, she commanded the church there at that Sacred Heart church, and the Jesuits were running that church and that the ocean is Sacred Heart was promoted strongly by the Jesuits true should not the, they weren’t the only ones I mean there’s actually Franciscan Saints before there were Jesuits, who had talked about the sacred heart, but they did promote that and did have some Jesuit Scholastics that had started the apostleship prayer which it was very… very well known in my lifetime in my childhood we used to get these little leaflets every month and have material about a Saint, like there’s thirty different Saints they would give you information about and also it was encouraging prayer to the Sacred Heart and parish preparation of the in souls in the Sacred Heart.
Every month those things come out and she went all over town delivering them and she couldn’t read or write so somebody had to tell her what… what was in there and you know that somebody told us that she had walked with a limp but we didn’t know the strength of that until after she was disinterred and they found it are covered with arthritis.
She didn’t write about anything she couldn’t write but she left us her message by her actions. A remarkable thing about it is this she goes doing all this stuff for and helping very group of people that enslaved her and left her blind and so forth and she had reason to be bitter but there was no indication anywhere.
The whole devotion to Sacred Heart has to do with the mercy of Jesus and I think that’s the program for life right there.
The Julia Greeley Guild: https://juliagreeley.org/
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Servant of God Julia Greeley and the Sacred Heart of Jesus | Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery
Below is a transcript the the video:
Under the cover of night servant of God Julia Greeley was seen distributing clothing, firewood, and even a mattress to those in need. Not only generous but sensitive as well Julia considered how the recipients might feel accepting these items from a woman of color at the turn of the last century.
What inspired her charity?
Nothing less than a heart beating in time with the Sacred Heart of Jesus. She collected dresses for girls who did not have the means to purchase their own for a school dance. She donated her original burial plot at Mount Olivet to a man who was to be buried in a Potters field. Each month she walked all over Denver distributing Sacred Heart league pamphlets to every Firehouse in the city even though she herself could not read.
The Sacred Heart depicted by Christ’s heart and flames burning with love for humanity kindled a fire in Julia’s own heart Pope Leo the 13th said: “There is in the Sacred Heart the infinite love of Jesus Christ which moves us to love in return.”
Julia’s daily actions revealed the heart of God on display throughout the streets of Denver. Father Blaine Burkey biographer and advocate for Julia’s cause for canonization suggests that one of the secrets of her own spirituality was surely to place all her day’s activities into the Secret Service of the Sacred Heart.
Julia Greeley was conditionally baptized at Sacred Heart parish in Denver just two months after it opened, after that she attended mass and received the Eucharist daily. The Jesuits who ran the parish called her the most enthusiastic promoter of a devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus they had ever seen.
Perhaps the divine result of her deeply authentic devotion Julia died on the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 7th 1918. As the date of this feast is tied to Pentecost and varies from year to year it is a beautiful gift that we celebrate the solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 7th this year as well.
Julia’s remains are no longer at Mount Olivet cemetery they were transferred to the cathedral basilica of the Immaculate Conception as part of her cause for canonization. Nevertheless, we are honored to be a part of her history.
Whether under the cover of night or the light of day may we all be motivated by the compassionate and merciful Sacred Heart of Jesus revealed through Denver’s Angel of charity Julia Greeley.
The Julia Greeley Guild: https://juliagreeley.org/
Ministry Newsletter │ August 2024
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August is Dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The month of August is traditionally dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The physical heart of Mary is venerated (and not adored as the Sacred Heart of Jesus is) because it is united to her person and is the seat of her love (especially for her divine Son), virtue, and inner life. Such devotion is an incentive to a similar love and virtue.
This devotion has received new emphasis from the visions given to Lucy Dos Santos, oldest of the visionaries of Fatima, in her convent in Tuy, in Spain, in 1925 and 1926. In the visions Our Lady asked for the practice of the Five First Saturdays to help make amends for the offenses committed against her heart by the blasphemies and ingratitude of men. The practice parallels the devotion of the Nine First Fridays in honor of the Sacred Heart.
On October 31, 1942, Pope Pius XII made a solemn Act of Consecration of the Church and the whole world to the Immaculate Heart. Let us remember this devotion year-round, but particularly through the month of August.
May you have a blessed and spiritually fruitful month of August!
Ministry Newsletter │ July 2024
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July is Dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus
The month of July is traditionally dedicated to the Precious Blood, and Catholics are encouraged to meditate on the profound sacrifice of Jesus and the pouring out of His blood for humanity.
One particular devotion in the Catholic Church connected to the Passion of Jesus Christ is the honoring of His Precious Blood. It is a recognition of Jesus’ sacrifice and how He spilled His blood for the salvation of humanity. Furthermore, the blood of Christ, along with the body of Christ, is made present through the gift of the Eucharist.
Over time, the Church developed various feasts of the Precious Blood, but it wasn’t until the 19th century when a universal feast was established. In 1849, Pope Pius IX proclaimed that the first Sunday in July be dedicated to the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ. Later, Pope Pius X assigned July 1st as the fixed date of this celebration.
After the Second Vatican Council, the feast was removed from the liturgical calendar, but a votive Mass in honor of the Precious Blood was established and can be celebrated in the month of July (as well as most other months of the year).
May you have a blessed and spiritually fruitful month of July!
To Have a Funeral Mass | Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc
Below is a transcript the the video:
Hello welcome and to the funeral facts with Deacon Marc this week we’re going to talk about the question of do you need to have a funeral mass?
Oftentimes we have individuals come up to me and say you know what mom went to mass all the time but we don’t go to mass anymore so we don’t really need the mass. Do we still need to have the funeral mass?
You want this simple answer?
Yes!
Because the funeral mass is not for us it’s partially for us but it’s more so for that individual who’s passed away. It’s their final time to be in the church in the presence of the Eucharist and we believe that we are giving that person the prayers for the journey to the heavenly father.
For it says in the catechism;
“She the church asks to purify this child of their sins and the consequences and to the pascal fullness of the table of the Kingdom”
So during the funeral mass what we’re doing is we are coming to our heavenly father who is fully merciful and loves us of the eternally and saying we’ll pray for this person and we’re commending them over to you and so when we have the funeral mass yes it’s helpful to all those that are here in the congregation to help us fill that void of loss that we have.
Remember that God gave us his love and that our gift is a total gift to us but one of the amazing reasons why we have the funeral mass is so for that loved one passed away could be here in the presence of Eucharist in communion with the entire church as we turn that individual over to the love and mercy of God so do you want to have a funeral mass?
Yes!
And should you have a funeral mass for your loved one?
Absolutely!
That’s funeral facts of Deacon Marc for this week
Make it a great week!
To learn more about our funeral services, visit our website: https://cfcscolorado.org/services/funeral/
Ministry Newsletter │ June 2024
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June is Dedicated to the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus
Although devotion to the love of God and to the love of Jesus can be traced to the time of the Apostles St. John and St. Paul, historians trace the earliest devotions to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, specifically, to the eleventh and twelfth centuries. It is believed that Jesus chose Margaret Mary Alacoque, in the 17th century, to share with the world His desire to bring new devotion to His Sacred Heart. Jesus revealed to Margaret Mary twelve promises that He would bestow upon all those who practice the devotion. The devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus was officially recognized and approved by Pope Clement XIII in 1765, seventy-five years after Margaret Mary’s death. The Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, which occurs 19 days after Pentecost, on a Friday, was inaugurated in 1856. Margaret Mary was canonized a Saint by Pope Benedict XV in 1920.
Additionally, the First Friday Devotion, also known as the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was made popular by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque. For more than 100 years, Mount Olivet has had the tradition of holding a Mass, on the first Friday of the month, to pray for all those individuals in our care at our various cemeteries. This year, the Feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus will fall on the first Friday of June on June 7th.
It is interesting to note that the Archdiocese of Denver’s own Servant of God Julia Greeley had a special devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and she died on the Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 7, 1918.
May you have a blessed and spiritually fruitful month of June!
Funeral Etiquette | Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc
Below is a transcript the the video:
What do you do and what don’t you do? This is Deacon Marc with the funeral facts and today we’re going to talk about funerals and what to expect and how to act, because most of us don’t attend a funeral that often and we often get a lot of questions around funerals and how do you actually expect what you do so let me give you a couple pointers today.
First of all what do you wear? This is not a chance for you to bring out your fluorescent orange vest or your pink flamboyant tie or anything like that. It really is still traditional black navy dark solid colors. You always want to dress traditionally for a funeral modestly for a funeral, darker colors.
Second piece people ask me is, what do I bring to the funeral? Do I bring a gift to them? Do I get a gift card for them? What do I do? and typically what is generally there’s nothing expected. Bringing yourself is what’s most important but if you did want to really bring something bring them a card with a nice note in there that you’re praying for them that they can read later. Some people do like to bring flowers to leave at the graveside with to leave with the family but really flowers or card is what to do.
If you really want to bring something I could tell you what not to bring, your cell phone. Leave it totally in the car there’s no need for you to have the type cell phone really could become a distraction to yourself if you think you’re gonna be taking pictures, no, just leave it in the car there’s no need to have it. There’s no need to have it there let yourself be focused on this time with the family.
Speaking of time, be on time and stay for the entire time arrive early stay till the end and we never know how long a funeral is gonna be that priest homily can be extra long the eulogy can be long good the long and so plan for adequate time you being there is about you being present for that family so give yourself plenty of time in the day to be present for that funeral.
At the same point in time be prepared may want to bring a little bottle of water with you so that in case your throat gets parched with tissues with you if you think you have a cold or it might get teary eyed bringing some mints with you for the wonderful breath that we all have. But come prepared to the funeral with some items so that you don’t have to walk out during the funeral to help with those type of things
Finally be there for the family be present for the family and the biggest one of the biggest pieces of funeral etiquette that I can give you is be sure to say you’re condolences to the family and don’t be one of those who sneaks out the back door and avoid saying goodbye to the family. What really needs to happen at that time is for you to just go up to the family and give your condolences I’ve done another video on how to get those condolences but for right now just plan on having that difficult time going up to the family telling them I’m sorry giving them a hug if it’s appropriate and letting them know that you’re here for them these are just a couple of funeral etiquette ideas for you to help you through that funeral if you may have one up here in the near future.
This is funeral facts with Deacon Marc make it great day and God bless.
To learn more about our funeral services, visit our website: https://cfcscolorado.org/services/funeral/
Ministry Newsletter │ May 2024
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May is Dedicated to the Blessed Virgin May
The month of May is dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. You may be familiar with the expression, “April showers bring May flowers.” Many cultures, including the Ancient Greeks and Romans, associated May with new life and growth. Symbolically, Mary can be viewed as a “second” or “new” Eve. In the Book of Genesis, Eve is described as “the mother of all the living” (Gen. 3:20). However, Eve’s disobedience brought about death (Gen. 2:17). Saint Jerome observed, “Death came through Eve, but life has come through Mary” (Epistle 22). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ, who, in turn, brought salvation to all. Jesus conquered death (1 Cor. 15:54-55) and is the source of eternal life (John 3:16-17). Thus, “dying He destroyed our death, rising He restored our life” (CCC 1067). Through Jesus Christ, Mary became our mother, the mother of all the living in the order of supernatural grace. Thus, the month of May has been dedicated to Mary due to the symbolism of new life and growth.
Different cultures honor Mary in various ways during the month of May. Some recite the Rosary every day during the month. The devotion of a May Crowning is practiced in many Catholic parishes, schools, and homes. A wreath, or crown, of flowers is ceremonially placed on a statue of Mary and flowers can be placed at the feet. Also, this year, there are three Marian feast days in May. The Memorial of Our Lady of Fatima is celebrated on May 13th. The Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, is celebrated on the Monday following Pentecost. This year, it falls on May 20th. The Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary is celebrated on May 31st.
May you have a blessed and spiritually fruitful month of May!
