Indigent Burials
The Catholic Cemeteries of Chicago, in conjunction with the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office and members of the Cook County Funeral Directors Association donate their time and resources to give the remains of the indigent a dignified burial and final resting place.
Catholic Cemeteries has donated a section of Mount Olivet Cemetery in Chicago and reserved it for the remains of the deceased indigent people who were unidentified or unclaimed by the examiner’s office. When a body cannot be identified, it remains with Cook County for two years. If a family member does not come forward, they are then cremated, and provided a proper burial. Catholic Cemeteries have also partnered with local hospitals to bury the unborn.
Since 2012, Catholic Cemeteries have had 32 Indigent Burial Services at Mt. Olivet and buried the remains of 1,496 unborn and 2,986 indigent or unidentified adults.
Students from the following local Catholic High Schools have volunteered as honorary pallbearers for these services: Brother Rice High School, Mother McAuley High School, St. Laurence High School, and Marist High School.