Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services (CFCS) of Colorado is dedicated to providing caring support before, during, and after the end-of-life process thereby fulfilling our core purpose of “Filling the Void of Loss with Faith.”
CFCS of Colorado has partnered with Saint Rafael Counseling (a ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Charities) to provide a Grief Support Program to the families we serve. Through this partnership, CFCS of Colorado offers a tiered grief support program to meet the needs of our families and to help families navigate the journey of grief.
Grief Support Program
A Partnership between Archdiocese of Denver CFCS and St. Raphael Counseling, a Ministry of Archdiocese of Denver Catholic Charities
(Click the logo to learn more.)
The following services are offered to families served by CFCS of Colorado through the Archdiocese of Denver Mortuary.
Tier 1: Grief Support Class (Online)
- Grief Support Classes will be offered virtually via Zoom to families on the second Wednesday of every month at 5:00 PM.
- While we do not offer counseling at these sessions, these sessions will be led by a certified counselor from St. Rafael Counseling Services.
- The classes will cover the following topics:
o Understand your experience of grief
o Distinguish between grief, depression, and traumatic stress
o Understand the elements of grief and apply to a one’s personal journey
o Develope strategies to help cope with grief
- There is no fee for this class.
- Sign-up for each class will end at 5:00pm on the Monday prior to the class.
- Individuals can sign up to attend this class using the following link: Click here to register
Tier 2: Grief Support Group (Online)
- A Grief Support Group will be offered the fourth Wednesday of each month.
- To participate in the Tier 2 Grief Support Group, individuals must receive a referral from attending the Tier 1 Grief Support Class.
- The Grief Support Group is facilitated through a certified counselor from St. Rafael Counseling.
- The Grief Support Group will meet virtually using a secure platform to allow for professional counseling support.
- Individuals will be allowed to participate in the Grief Support Group for up to three months.
- Individuals will need to complete all regulatory forms required for professional counseling. This will be facilitated by St. Rafael Counseling.
- There is no charge for this service.
Tier 3: Referral to Certified Counselor to Provide Extended Support
- Individuals needing additional support beyond the three support group sessions will be provided referrals to additional counseling services that the individual can access.
- Funding for these services will be the responsibility of the individual.
Spiritual Support Initiatives
Monthly First Friday Mass
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. Individuals are invited to join us at 6:30 PM on the first Friday of the month at the Mount Olivet Chapel for this special Mass. Families are also able to view the Mass through a livestream. Links for each month’s livestream will be listed on the First Friday Mass webpage below the Future Dates section next to the individual date as well as our social media sites.
Accompanying the Mass will be a scrolling video listing all the individuals who have come into the care of the Archdiocese of Denver Mortuary during the past month.
All are invited to take part in this monthly Mass.
Deacon Calling Project
The grief journey can be a difficult path spiritually for many. Deacons from the Archdiocese of Denver, call the families we serve through the Archdiocese of Denver Mortuary several weeks following the services for their loved ones. During these calls, the deacons will check in with the family, pray with the family, and discuss additional resources that are available to families. If additional spiritual support is necessary, families will be referred to their local parish for this additional support.
