May 19, 2010

Mount Olivet breaks ground for new mausoleum

John Gleason

Reverence and respect for the bodies of the dead has been a mainstay of the Catholic faith from the very beginning of the Church. From the time that God took human form in Jesus Christ, uniting divinity and humanity, there was a sanctification of human life, according to Msgr. Thomas Fryar, moderator of the curia and vicar general for the Archdiocese of Denver.

“Christ became one with us,” he said.  “He had a physical body that hungered, got tired and felt pain, just the same as us.  And that human body has a dimension to it that we recognize and respect even in death.”

An example of that reverence was demonstrated on May 3 at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Wheat Ridge where a small crowd of people came together to witness a groundbreaking ceremony for a new mausoleum.  Denver Auxiliary Bishop James D. Conley was on hand to officiate and bless the ground on which the new St. Francis of Assisi Mausoleum will stand.

“We know the familiar words of Psalm 127: ‘If the Lord does not build the house, in vain do its builder’s labor,’” said Bishop Conley as he began the ceremony.  “Let us pray for God’s help through this celebration …that he will bring this construction project to successful completion.”

Following the blessing, Bishop Conley, along with members of the board of directors of Mount Olivet Cemetery Association, picked up shovels and dug them into the earth.  Michael Wright, director of the cemetery and mortuary, told the Denver Catholic Register that work on the new mausoleum will begin immediately.

“Our timetable is that the facility be ready to be put into operation early next year,” he said.  “The St. Francis of Assisi Mausoleum will have 1,050 crypts and 350 niches.  It will be located just to the west of the St. Anthony Mausoleum and on the other side of the construction site is room to put up another mausoleum sometime in the future.”

Architect for the project is J. Stuart Todd Inc., which has designed other buildings on the grounds including the Ascension Mausoleum, which opened in 1977.

“Currently we have 10,” Wright said.  “The Garden Mausoleum was the first one and dates from the late 1970s.  At that time there was a growing interest nationwide for cemeteries to build mausoleums.  Part of it was due to limitation of space but there was also a demand for above-ground burials.  Mount Olivet constructed our first one and people responded favorably.”

Wright expects many people to drive by the site of the new mausoleum over the Memorial Day weekend at the end of the month. 

“Based on past years, our estimate is that as many as 25,000 people will come to the cemetery to visit loved ones,” he said. 

The Memorial Day Mass, set for 11 a.m. May 31, usually draws about 1,000 people, Wright said.

Mount Olivet Cemetery is one of two cemeteries operated by the Archdiocese of Denver, the other is St. Simeon located in Aurora.  For more information concerning funeral planning, traditional burial or mausoleum interment call 303-425-9511 or visit www.archden.org.

MEMORIAL DAY MASS

Where: Mount Olivet Cemetery, 12801 W. 44th Ave., Wheat Ridge
When: 11 a.m. May 31