Covenant burials

Bi-Monthly Ceremony Affirms & Honors the Lives of Miscarried Babies

It takes grace and courage to come to the small chapel, arms painfully empty. The mother is then asked, “Would you like to hold your baby?” Sometimes the response is ‘no’, but most often, a nod is given. Then, for one final time, each family is able to hold their child close.

However, there are no tiny hands to hold; rather families are able to embrace quilt-cover boxes or small containers that hold their baby’s remains. In the past, there have been as many as 20 families—any family member or friend are also encouraged to attend—that come to bid farewell to their babies lost to miscarriage. State law allows babies up to 22 weeks gestation to participate.

Memorial services like this one are held free of charge six times a year, thanks to a long-standing collaboration between the Deisler Funeral Home, Covenant HealthCare, and the Catholic Cemeteries of the Diocese of Saginaw. Burials alternate annually with St. Andrew and Mt. Olivet Cemeteries.

These efforts developed out of the belief that any life is a life, and life should be honored with respect and dignity. With these ideas as the foundation, families come to affirm and honor the lives of their deceased babies. Deisler Funeral Home is thankful to be a part of this very significant milestone for a grieving family.

Paraphrased information taken from an article featured in Faith Saginaw Magazine, Thanksgiving 2013. Original story by Elizabeth McKenna.