A Holy Homecoming: 42 Individuals Interred at Mount Olivet's Bring Them Home Mass on All Saints Day

For families who could not afford burial, the Bring Them Home Mass and Crypt of All Saints ministry became an answer to prayer and a moment of profound healing.

(Photo provided)

By Erin Scherer

The cremated remains of 42 individuals were placed reverently at the foot of the altar at the annual Bring Them Home Mass at Mount Olivet Cemetery last Saturday, as family and friends gathered to pray for them and entrust them to God.

It was fitting on this All Saints Day, where we celebrate the lives of not just one, but all who are in union with God.

“Today, maybe we celebrate some of your loved ones here that are saints in heaven,” commented Father Jason Wunsch. “Or, if not, they’re in purgatory and we’re praying for them, and they’ll be there shortly! And we’re realizing that our lives are united.”

Unity was the theme of the day as 130 gathered to take the valiant step in the grieving process of letting go and entrusting their loved ones to the Lord.

“This was so beautiful,” shared a couple who interred their son twenty years after his death.

“What you have done very heroically is unite their bodies to the ground to a holy place … you’re bringing them home,” explained Father Wunsch. “Their soul is home with God. You’re going to bring their bodies home. And what are we called to do? We’re called to let go and trust God.”

“The process of letting go can be so difficult, but it isn’t really letting go,” explained Gary Schaaf, executive director of Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services. “It is allowing the Church to walk with them and take over the care for their loved one in a profound way. It is among the most important missions we have as a Catholic funeral home and cemetery.”

The financial burden of funerals and burials can create a barrier for many who wish to inter their loved ones, which leads them to keep their loved ones’ remains at home. So, for many, this was an answer to prayer.

“Most have had urns sitting around for a while, and they didn’t have the money to inter their loved ones,” explained Ali Hanlen, the family service advisor who oversees the Crypt of All Souls ministry. “They prayed to God about what to do with them, and then they saw our ad.”

“It helps a lot of people and it’s really rewarding,” Hanlen shared. “The families that bring their loved ones are all very grateful.”

So, how can we remain unified with our loved ones after interring them?

“The closest place you can be with your loved ones is right here,” explains Father Wunsch. “At the Mass, Heaven comes to earth. Jesus will be right here, and your loved ones are with Jesus.”

He ended with an invitation: “Jesus is inviting you to a new way of life that doesn’t cling to ourselves, but opens our lives to the mystery of God, that we may participate in that life forever.”

That is true unity.

This is the third year for the Bring Them Home Mass, which coincides with All Souls Day. However, it is not necessary to wait until next year to inter the cremated remains of a loved one. Once a month, individuals can bring cremated remains to Mount Olivet for a service and burial free of charge through the Crypt of All Souls program.

To learn more, please visit: www.cfcscolorado.org.