First suicide memorial by a US archdiocese signals a compassionate shift by the Catholic Church

The Archdiocese of Chicago dedicated the At Peace memorial at Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery on September 9, 2026. The archdiocese stated this is the first memorial of its kind established by any U.S. archdiocese to honor lives lost to suicide and their surviving families.

The memorial features a sculpture of ascending doves and honors Father Charles Rubey, who founded the LOSS Program (Loving Outreach to Survivors of Suicide) in 1979. The LOSS program is a counseling and support service operated by Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Father Rubey noted that the memorial represents a shift in how the Church approaches suicide. While Catholic teaching continues to view suicide as a grave sin, Rubey said the Church has moved toward embracing families rather than condemning those who died by suicide.