Día de los Muertos at Mount Olivet Brings Families Together in Faith and Remembrance
Through a bilingual Mass, Rosary and colorful family traditions, Catholics gathered in Wheat Ridge to honor their loved ones, find comfort in shared memories and celebrate the hope of Christ's Resurrection.
By Erin Scherer
“Every day I remind myself that healing isn’t one big moment; it is a collection of small, steady steps,” shared Kathy Duran, who created an altar for the annual Día de los Muertos celebration at Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery. “For me, the best healing process has been honoring our loved ones.”
Last Saturday, Duran and faithful from across the Archdiocese gathered at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery in Wheat Ridge to remember their loved ones, celebrate their lives and reflect on the hope and joy of the Resurrection. Youth from Our Lady Mother of the Church Parish in Commerce City, dressed as saints, led the Rosary, and Denver Auxiliary Bishop Jorge Rodríguez celebrated the bilingual Mass.
The celebration also offered opportunities for fellowship and creativity. Guests enjoyed food and dancing and participated in activities such as making rosaries, painting decorative skulls and folding colorful tissue paper into marigolds, flowers traditionally associated with Día de los Muertos and used to symbolize the light of Christ illuminating our path.
“The blessing of having the auxiliary bishop with us at Mass, the way in which the youth could help with the Rosary and the dances that the children performed were beautiful,” said Marleny Blanco, a member of the Apóstoles de la Palabra lay movement and a parishioner of Our Lady Mother of the Church.
Blanco appreciated the many opportunities for families to participate throughout the event.
“The food was spectacular, and the stations to make flowers and rosaries were wonderful. All the activities that the youth and adults were able to enjoy were very beautiful,” she said enthusiastically.
For Duran, the celebration held a particularly personal significance. After losing both her mother and her husband, Max, within two months of each other, she has found comfort this year in opportunities to honor their lives and keep their memories alive.
When she received an email in October announcing an altar competition hosted by Mount Olivet, she immediately recognized it as an opportunity to honor her loved ones.
“As soon as I read it, I thought, what a wonderful opportunity it would be to continue honoring my mom and Max,” she recalled.
Duran spent several weeks creating the altar at home, involving her children and grandchildren in the process. She invited each family member to contribute a personal item, making the project a shared expression of love and remembrance. Even finding a pool noodle out of season to construct the altar’s arch became part of the creative process!
“The altar became more than a display,” she said. “It was a tribute filled with love for the impact [my loved ones] continue to have on our lives. Creating it allowed us to celebrate their memory.”
For Duran, opportunities such as the Día de los Muertos Rosary, Mass and altar competition offer families a meaningful way to navigate grief while remaining connected to those they have lost.
“Remembering our loved ones with love, faith and gratitude brings comfort to our hearts and helps transform grief into a lasting tribute of remembrance,” she said.
She added that participating in the celebration and creating the altar had been a blessing for her entire family, allowing them to continue honoring her mother and husband and keeping their memories close.
The celebration at Mount Olivet offered a beautiful opportunity for families to honor their loved ones, pray for them and celebrate their lives while remembering the promise of the Resurrection.
“We are all truly grateful and hope to return next year,” Blanco shared.
