Watch as Bishop Earl Boyea provides a fitting and prayerful interment during the Month of the Holy Souls to the cremated mortal remains of those whose ashes have gone uncollected over the past year from the University of Michigan’s Sparrow Medical Examiner’s Office in Lansing, as well as local funeral homes. Requiescant in pace.
“Really, we are here just to bury the dead, particularly those who had no one to really care for them or pay, I presume, for their funeral expenses, so we take these remains and we cherish them as our brothers and sisters,” said Bishop Boyea at Saint Joseph Cemetery in Lansing, November 5.
“This is important to me, that we have this celebration today, because I want someone to pray for me when I die, and so I want to make sure that I'm praying for those who are dead and who have no one else to pray for them.”
The annual service is organized by Brian Epkey, Director of Catholic Cemeteries for the Diocese of Lansing; the Staff at Saint Joseph Catholic Cemetery in Lansing; and Deacon Jim Collom of Saint Martha parish in Okemos.
Together they have established the annual burying of unwanted and uncollected ashes during the month of November as a corporal work of mercy. In total the cremated mortal remains of 37 deceased persons were interred this year: 32 adults and 5 infants.
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. Amen.