Teen Pallbearers Volunteer to Honor a Deceased Person with No Family

When 17-year-old Grady Leneghan attended a Greek Orthodox

funeral in Cleveland, he was struck not by the ceremony, but by the absence of mourners. The deceased had no family present — only student pallbearers from Saint Ignatius High School’s St. Joseph of Arimathea Pallbearer Ministry, created to honor those who die alone. Founded in 2003 with just 12 students, the program now includes about 400 volunteers who serve at nearly 180 funerals each year.

Students receive careful training to handle caskets with dignity and to offer quiet spiritual support through prayer and presence.The ministry’s model has inspired similar programs nationwide, including at Catholic Memorial in Massachusetts and the University of Detroit Jesuit High School. Each shares a core belief: every person deserves to be laid to rest with respect.