Traditional Methods of Final Disposition – Burial and Cremation │ Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc

 

Below is a transcript the the video:

Hello and welcome to this edition of Funeral Facts with Deacon Mark.

We just finished up talking about pre planning and planning and what’s involved in planning and why the benefits are planning. Now, I want to shift a little bit and we’re going to talk about final disposition and what are the options especially through the Catholic view of, for final disposition.

We’re going to look at the traditional ways of final disposition. Some nontypical ways. We’re going to look at natural burial in relationship to all that and then, we’re also going to look non options and discuss why those are non-options.

But to get started with you’re probably like what in the world is final disposition and if you think about those words it really is about that final action that is taken with that human body and so there’s some legal sides about that as well because in most states many states there’s permitting that is required around it and so when we’re talking about final disposition in the eyes of the church you’re really looking at two traditional ways for final disposition you’re looking at whole body burial or you’re looking at cremation and those are the final dispositions that are most common.

We’re going to talk about some uncommon ones but those are the most common final dispositions and when you’re looking at those cases. In both those cases, they require permitting in order to move to that final disposition.

So, before we can bury here at the cemetery, we need a disposition permit.

Before we can have someone cremated, we need a disposition permit and what’s in that is you gotta get a death certificate. Typically, this is done by the funeral director. They send it off to the doctor. Doctor has 48 hours in order to sign off on the death certificate. Once we get the death certificate back, then, we can apply for the disposition permit to either have the burial or the cremation.

In those cases, the final disposition of the burial, the traditional burial is the burial into that place that is part of the permit. If we’re going to someone later, we need to get permitting to move that body to a different place and we really don’t want to do that but that’s where the final disposition is bearing that person in that location.

For cremation, the final disposition is the cremation and those cremated remains is the final disposition and so in those cases in the eyes of the state, you can take those cremated remains and really do whatever you want to do with them but we’ve gotta remember just because it’s legal to do something, just because you can do something, doesn’t mean it’s the right to do and so as a church, we talk about respect for the body and respect for body that’s cremated or in intact in the same way and so we do ask that cremated remains be respected and placed into a cemetery and so that is the final disposition is that is traditional as cremation or whole body burial.

We’re going to look at next time in two examples of some more ways that are acceptable but not as traditional and we’ll talk about those next time, burial at sea and also donate your body to science.

Until that edition, this is Funeral Facts with Deacon Mark.

Make it a great day.

Visit our website to learn more: https://cfcscolorado.org/catholic-teaching/

What to Consider When Planning Your Cemetery Needs │ Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc

Below is a transcript the the video:

Hello, welcome to Funeral Facts with Deacon Mark.

We’re going to continue our conversation about pre-planning and we talked about the fact that there’s several areas to do pre-planning and that there’s a funeral home side of things, the cemetery side of things, and the church side of things.

Today, I want to talk about the cemetery side of things and give you some questions to begin to start to think about but in the end, I’m going to talk to you about the fact that it really helps to have a specialist to work through with you in the cemetery but there’s things that you can start thinking about so that you are prepared when you come to the specialist to help you out. So, when you’re thinking about cemetery.

The first real question, you have to with all of this is, do I want to be cremated or do I want a traditional burial and that is absolutely fundamental to it because that then guides all your other questions.

Once you decide that, then, let’s talk about cemetery and let’s assume that you are looking at a traditional burial and most of this, actually, all this will apply to cremation but just for a conversational talk traditional burial.

The next question that you have to answer is, do I want to be above ground or below ground? For both cremation and traditional burial, you can be below ground or above ground, below ground buried or above ground to hit a mausoleum, a columbarium or some type of structure that houses those that have passed away above ground and so that’s an important decision to make.

Some people feel very, very strongly about this. I was in San Francisco about a year ago and a guy came up to me and he’s like, I don’t want to be anywhere underground. I don’t want to be anywhere where water could touch me. I want to be on the top floor, top floor of the mausoleum and I said, you can talk to one of the people here who can help you out with that and so talking about do you want to look above ground or below ground and some of those have some different implications.

The other question is does location matter to you the cemetery unfortunately or fortunately is just like real estate some places are very expensive in the cemetery some places are less expensive.

A couple years ago I started talking about this to my wife and I came home from work and I said honey I picked out a perfect spot a cemetery spot for us and she instantly interrupted me knowing my personality she said let me guess it’s the most expensive spot in the cemetery and I said yes and so it was on the lake in our stations of the cross overlooking the mountains just absolutely gorgeous and her response was honey your dead it really doesn’t matter and I want the cheapest place possible.

So one of the conversations is do you want the cheapest? or do you want the most expensive? do you want a view? do you not want a view? or doesn’t it matter?

And so what is that location that you want for your family not only geographically do I want to be in North Denver, South Denver, do I want to be in Ohio but within the cemetery does that location matter to you?

And then the third piece with the question I would argue that you want to think about is who’s going to help you out with this?

Earlier this year my daughter bought her first house, very proud of her, and she said you know what dad I’m going to do it without a real estate agent she’s like I can save thousands of dollars you know how much I paid this guy to be a real estate agent? I said yes and you’re thankful and he actually save you money in the end.

And she came to me after she bought the house and said, yes, it was so good to have the real estate agent. He helped me through things and actually got me things that actually saved me money in the end.

I would really recommend working with one of our family service advisers. They could take you around the cemetery, look at all the different options that are out there. Some people have extended family and I’ve had questions like, can my husband and I and a child be all buried in the same plot and Family Service Advisor can work with you to help you answer your questions, look at your needs, and find out what’s going to be most beneficial to you.

And so here are the couple questions for you to think about with regard to cemetery is do you want a traditional burial? Or cremation? Do you want to be above ground? below ground? And does location matter? and then, once you have those things in mind, I would suggest giving us a call, talking to one of our family service advisers and they can help guide you and through the us and help you find that perfect spot for you and or your loved one for all of eternity.

This is Funeral Facts with Deacon Mark. Have a blessed day.

For more information about preplanning your funeral and cemetery needs, visit our website: https://cfcscolorado.org/services/cemetery/

First Friday Mass │ A Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery Tradition for Over 100 Years

FIRST FRIDAY MASS

Thornton CO Funeral Services And Cremations

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. The public is 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 our social media pages, as well as below the “Future Dates” section of this page next to the date of the Mass.

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.

BRIEF HISTORY OF THE FIRST FRIDAY MASS

Aurora CO Funeral

The First Friday Devotion is also known as the Act of Reparation to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and was made popular by St. Margaret Mary Alacoque following her spiritual experiences and visions 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. 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 died on the Feast of the Sacred Heart on June 7, 1918.

The 12 Promises of the Sacred Heart of Jesus

As revealed to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque by Our Lord, Jesus Christ

  1. I will give them all the graces necessary in their state of life.
  2. I will establish peace in their homes.
  3. I will comfort them in all their afflictions.
  4. I will be their secure refuge during life, and above all, in death.
  5. I will bestow abundant blessings upon all their undertakings.
  6. Sinners will find in My Heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
  7. Lukewarm souls shall become fervent.
  8. Fervent souls shall quickly mount to high perfection.
  9. I will bless every place in which an image of My Heart is exposed and honored.
  10. I will give to Priests the gift of touching the most hardened hearts.
  11. Those who shall promote this devotion shall have their names written in My Heart.
  12. I promise you in the excessive mercy of My Heart that My all-powerful love will grant to all those who receive Holy Communion on the First Fridays in nine consecutive months the grace of final perseverance; they shall not die in My disgrace, nor without receiving their sacraments. My divine Heart shall be their safe refuge in this last moment.

For more information about the First Friday Mass at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery, visit our website: https://cfcscolorado.org/events/first-friday-mass/

Visit our Events page for information about our other events: https://cfcscolorado.org/events/

Preplanning Your Funeral and Cemetery Needs │ Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc

Below is a transcript the the video:

Hello and welcome to Funeral Facts with Deacon Mark.

So my question to you today is are you prepared for your for your passing by doing your pre-planning. Pre-planning is important to help us in our own preparations to realize that we are coming to a final end of our life at some point and that preparation is actually absolutely crucial and there are three parts to pre-planning your funeral arrangements.

One is funeral home. The funeral home takes care of your body and it’s almost like the wedding coordinator. They coordinate all the services and do all those different pieces.

The second part of it is the cemetery. Where do you want to have your body interred where your cremated remains in Interred.

And then the third piece is the church and the services. Where do you want to have the services? What kind of readings do you want? What kind of music you want? And so there really are three different pieces to that pre-planning to truly become prepared for your final days.

In a future video, we’re going to talk about the benefits of pre-planning but for right now, I wanted to give you an understanding of what is involved.

You have the funeral planning of who’s going to take care of your body. You have the cemetery planning of where you’re going to be laid to rest and then you have the church services of where those services are going to happen and what those services are going to look like and in doing that, you can be prepared. Just like we’re preparing for Christmas.

Have a great day. God bless and make it a great day.

This is Funeral Facts with Deacon Marc.

To request a free funeral and cemetery planning guide, visit our website: https://cfcscolorado.org/funeral-and-cemetery-planning-guide-request/

For more information about preplanning your funeral and cemetery needs, visit our website: https://cfcscolorado.org/pre-planning/

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 |

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 |

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