As the nation commemorates Memorial Day today, we pause to remember, honor and pray for those who have given their lives in service to our country. Following the example of our Savior, they laid down their lives so that others might live in freedom.
Recognizing the great sacrifice these courageous individuals have made and the pain their loss brings in the hearts of those who love them, we pray for Jesus’ healing, peace and comfort while stepping up to serve those who’ve served us, along with their families.
Veterans Services at Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services of Colorado
Filling the void of loss with faith, Catholic Funeral and Cemetery Services of Colorado strives to serve every family that comes through their doors with professionalism and compassion.
In a unique way, CFCS works with families of deceased veterans and service members to provide funeral services that honor their courageous service. Working with the National Cemetery and Veterans Affairs (VA) offices, CFCS coordinates a number of particular military funeral honors for eligible individuals.
In appreciation of their service, CFCS also offers discounts for military service members and their spouses on funeral and cemetery plans.
For more information, visit https://cfcscolorado.org/mission-programs/veteran-services/.
Even while we reflect, remember and honor the courageous individuals who’ve given their lives, we are mindful of the living veterans in our families and communities, many of whom return from their service to experience difficulty, woundedness, isolation and pain.
In the Archdiocese of Denver, many faith-filled deacons and laypersons are stepping into the breach to serve these veterans in honor of their service and sacrifice through various local ministries and programs.
In God We Trust
A ministry of the diaconate supported by the Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal, In God We Trust is an annual event hosted in partnership with members of the Colorado Freedom Memorial. Its goal is to help spiritually wounded veterans regain their faith.
With Mass and Confession, faith-related speakers, faith-based counseling and other resources, the annual In God We Trust event affords veterans an opportunity to reengage their faith, receive assistance and build community.
For more information about In God We Trust, visit https://archden.org/veterans.
Catholic Charities Veterans Program at Samaritan House Denver
Often, veterans return from service and experience difficulty adjusting to their new lives and facing wounds they’ve brought back with them. Unfortunately, these difficulties all too often lead many veterans to the streets, leaving them homeless.
Samaritan House Denver, a Catholic Charities of Denver shelter, seeks to serve them through the conventional shelter concept and provides a comprehensive array of services, including counseling, job resources and support.
With their dedicated staff, Catholic Charities illuminates a path toward personal and professional freedom for those who have bravely served our country.
Veterans look on during the In God We Trust military veterans Mass at the Colorado Freedom Memorial on September 17, 2022, in Aurora, Colorado. (Photo by Daniel Petty/Denver Catholic)
In honor of the great sacrifice of those who have given their lives for our country and in recognition of the courage of living veterans, many parishes, schools, ministries and entities of the Archdiocese of Denver seek to serve veterans and their families in our communities.
This Memorial Day, join us in prayer for those who have gone before us and for all who have served.
If you feel called to support one of these ministries or another serving veterans in our communities, consider making a gift to the Archbishop’s Catholic Appeal, which provides for 40+ ministries across northern Colorado. To make a gift, visit archden.org/givenow.