Today is the last day to register to give any cremated remains you may have hanging around your house a free final resting place, courtesy of the Catholic Cemetery Association.
Back on September 30, the association announced it is offering a free program that allows families to properly bury the cremated remains of loved ones now being kept at home. The amnesty for ashes program will provide free placement in a crypt at either Mount Calvary Cemetery in Albuquerque or Rosario Cemetery in Santa Fe.
Here’s the catch: you need to register and bring the ashes to either cemetery by close of business today. They need the information and ashes so they can prepare a plaque to mark everyone’s name before the committal ceremony on Wednesday, November 2, All Souls Day.
It is a religious tradition in the Catholic faith, as well as in the Jewish and Muslim religions, to give every body a final resting place. The growth of cremation has loosened up the final committal of mortal remains, as ashes can easily stay on book shelves, in closets, and other places around the house.
As we saw in a news story not too long ago, a fancy urn holding someone’s mother’s remains was stolen in a home burglary. Don’t let this happen to you!
The deceased does not need to be Catholic for you to take advantage of this offer.
And your loved ones will get grandpoohbahs presiding! Archbishop Michael Sheehan will preside over the service at 11:00 a.m. at Rosario Cemetery in Santa Fe. The Very Rev. John Cannon will preside at 2:00 p.m. at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Albuquerque.
Here are the numbers to get this taken care of now!
Mount Calvary Cemetery in Albuquerque: 505-243-0218
Rosario Cemetery in Santa Fe: 505-983-2322