‘I hope this crypt is a gift to the city’: Mausoleum offers place of rest for miscarried babies

A new mausoleum will give parents an opportunity to lay their miscarried babies to rest and a network of support to help them process the loss.

A first-of-its-kind project now offers Calgarian mothers a permanent place to lay their miscarried babies to rest.

The Loreto Crypt Sanctuary for Little Souls opened inside of the Queen’s Park Cemetery on Wednesday.

It’s an above-ground mausoleum that will hold individual containers with the remains of babies who died before 20 weeks of gestation.

It was created and opened by parishioners at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Calgary, though it will be available to Calgarians of all faiths at no cost.

“I hope this crypt is a gift to the city that brings people healing, hope, community, connection and, ultimately, peace,” Sara Francis told CTV News.

“It’s a sign of hope to those who are grieving, and I hope it validates people’s pain and suffering to know you’re not overreacting.“

Francis helped drive efforts to open the site after losing her baby when she was 11 weeks pregnant.

She says the city offered few options for a burial, so she temporarily laid her child to rest in her backyard while she looked for a more permanent solution.

Wednesday, at the opening of the crypt, her Jude was one of 10 children whose remains were placed in the Loreto Crypt.

“I’m so happy our family is able to turn a tragedy into something beautiful and, hopefully, helpful to many,” Francis said.

Statistics show nearly one in four recognized pregnancies ends in miscarriage, most in the first trimester.

Organizers believe the Loreto Crypt is the only year-round site of its kind in the country.

Both Catholics and non-Catholics in the Diocese of Calgary may request interment.