‘My Prayers Have Been Answered’: For Families Keeping Ashes at Home, the Church Offers a Place of Peace

Through the Crypt of All Souls and the annual ‘Bring Them Home’ Mass, Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado ensures every person — regardless of means — is laid to rest with dignity and prayer.

(Photo provided)

For more than three years, she kept a small wooden urn on the corner of her bedroom dresser. Inside were the cremated remains of her son. She loved her son deeply, but she also carried a quiet guilt. She didn’t know what to do with his remains. The idea of scattering them felt wrong. A private burial seemed financially out of reach. So, the urn stayed on the dresser — waiting.

When I told her about the Crypt of All Souls, a ministry of Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services of Colorado (CFCS) that receives cremated remains for interment at no cost, Maria broke down in tears.

“My prayers have been answered,” she whispered through sobs. “I can finally give my son the resting place he deserves.”

This mother’s story is not unique. Across Colorado, many families quietly hold onto urns, unsure what to do. Now, thanks to this ministry of mercy, families like Maria’s have a way to bring their loved ones home.

A Ministry of Mercy and Hope

CFCS, a nonprofit ministry of the Archdiocese of Denver, has been serving Colorado families for over 130 years, providing funeral, cremation and cemetery services rooted in the Catholic understanding of the human person, the sacredness of the body and the hope of the Resurrection.

The Crypt of All Souls, located at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery in Wheat Ridge, was created as a sacred space for the respectful interment of cremated remains. It ensures that every person — regardless of circumstance or ability to pay — can be laid to rest with dignity. CFCS covers the interment expenses through the generosity of donors and the wider Catholic community, ensuring that no family is turned away from this support.

Whether someone was Catholic or not, whether they were rich or poor, every human life matters; this ministry is our way of living the Gospel’s call to mercy.

In speaking to families, I remind them that every person deserves to be laid to rest with dignity and reverence. The Crypt of All Souls allows us to provide that sacred care, especially for those who may not have the means or circumstances to do so otherwise.

The Catholic Perspective on Cremation

The Catholic Church allows cremation, but it also teaches that cremated remains must be treated with the same respect given to the body. That means they should be interred in a consecrated place — a cemetery, mausoleum or columbarium — not scattered, divided or stored indefinitely at home.

This teaching reflects the Church’s belief in the resurrection of the body and the importance of Christian burial. Catholic cemeteries offer a place of prayer and remembrance for families, serving as a visible symbol of faith and a testament to the hope of eternal life.

Placing remains in the Crypt of All Souls is an act of faith. It acknowledges that this person was created in the image of God and is destined for eternal life.

A Place of Prayer

Once interred in the Crypt of All Souls, the names of the deceased are included in prayers and Mass intentions offered at Mount Olivet. Families are welcome to visit and pray at the crypt at any time.

In addition, CFCS offers ongoing grief support programs, liturgies and educational opportunities throughout the year to help families navigate loss with faith and hope.

The “Bring Them Home” Mass

To honor and welcome these loved ones, CFCS hosts the annual “Bring Them Home” Mass, a moving liturgy where families bring their loved ones’ cremated remains to be interred in the Crypt of All Souls.

The next Bring Them Home Mass will be held on November 1 at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery during the Church’s commemoration of All Souls’ Day and End-of-Life Respect Month.

I speak to families about this ministry, and they are reminded that this is not just about placing an urn; it’s about restoring dignity, healing hearts and proclaiming our faith in the Resurrection. These individuals are remembered by name. They are prayed for. They are not forgotten.

How to Participate

Families who wish to place their loved one’s cremated remains in the Crypt of All Souls or participate in the Bring Them Home Mass can contact CFCS directly. Staff gently guide families through the process, ensuring that their loved one is received with compassion and reverence.

• Location: Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery, Wheat Ridge

• Phone: 303-715-2083

• Website: cfcscolorado.org

• Next Bring Them Home Mass: November 1, 2025

We hope that no one will feel they have to keep a loved one’s remains on a shelf or in storage. There is a place for them in the Church — a place of prayer, dignity and peace.

A Final Act of Love

The mother mentioned above will mark a turning point in her grief. She plans to bring her son’s urn to Mount Olivet for the Bring Them Home Mass, where his name will be remembered and his remains entrusted to the care of the Church.

“I’ll finally be able to say goodbye the right way,” she said softly. “I’ll finally have peace.”

Through the Crypt of All Souls and the Bring Them Home Mass, CFCS Colorado continues its mission to accompany families with faith, compassion and hope — ensuring that every soul has a home, and every family a place to heal.