A Catholic Funeral

Preparing the funeral service

In most cases the planning and preparation tasks fall to the

immediate survivors. However, the more the family, relatives and

friends actively plan and participate in the ceremony itself, the

deeper will be the consolation and strength they experience.

Upon being notified of a death, a bereavement minister will call you

to offer help in planning the funeral Mass. We will meet with you

and assist you in picking out the music, readings, and explain the

different ways in which the family and friends can participate in the

Mass.

Visitation at church – On the day of the funeral, we

welcome you to begin at church. Many families will start with a

visitation at church before the Mass begins. This can be 30 minutes

before Mass or 1 hour before Mass begins. This eliminates some of

the getting in and out of cars and processions thru traffic, which can

be difficult for older people.

Music

• The requiem choir will be honored to

sing and provide music at all funerals.

Readings

• The purpose of the readings is to

convey to those in grief the comfort

and hope of the word of God. We will

provide you with a small booklet that

will guide you in the selection of

readings.

Worship Aid

• As part of our support, we will create

a worship aid for the funeral Mass.

This helps the family and guests

follow and participate in the liturgy as

well as adding a personal touch. This

can be done by putting a photo on the

cover of the worship aid or a special

prayer or poem on the back cover