Funeral Information

Vigil

• Family members are encouraged to take an active part in the funeral rites that begin with the celebration of the Vigil of the Deceased.
• Scripture service – at the vigil or wake service, the Christian community “keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ’s presence (#10). This is the time for words of remembrance (Eulogies) by family and friends.

Funeral Liturgy

• Funeral Mass
• Funeral Liturgy outside of Mass
• Eulogies are not permitted during the Funeral Mass/Liturgy
  
  Both the funeral Mass and the funeral liturgy begin with sprinkling of the casket, and the placing of the Christian Symbol on the casket.

Committal at the Cemetery

• Please contact the Funeral Home and or the Parish to plan the parishioners funeral. The Funeral Home will contact the parish during your meeting to confirm the date and time.
• Our Funeral Coordinator will meet with the family representative of the deceased to schedule and plan a funeral.
• Funerals in the church are scheduled for 10:00am, 10:30am (Fridays during School year)
  • The family may elect to have the body in state in the gathering space 30 minutes before the funeral Liturgy.
• The wake service is conducted by someone from the pastoral staff or a wake minister who has been trained in this ministry.
  • The appropriate time and place for personal reflections and/or eulogy commemorating the life of the deceased are during the wake service. This would also be appropriate time to play favorite non-liturgical music.
  • The structure of the vigil usually include a call to prayer, in word or song, a proclamation of the word of God, prayers of intercession and concludes with a blessing. It is commonly known as a scripture service.
  • Devotional prayers, such as the Rosary or parts of the Rosary are private prayers and should be done during the family hour of visitation.
  • The family is encouraged to participate fully in the funeral liturgy. Remember when planning the Mass, we are praying for the soul of the deceased and not proclaiming their life.
    • Selections are provided with appropriate readings for a funeral liturgy. Please choose one reading from the Old Testament and one reading from the New Testament.
    • Reading Selections
      
    • Prayers of the Faithful
    • Care should be exercised in choosing readers for the liturgy, they should be a participating Catholic who can remain poised and who are comfortable with the readings. We ask that they be over the age of 16 years old.
    • The priest, celebrant, will choose the Gospel.
• Mass with or without cremains – although the Catholic teaching continues to stress the preference for burial or entombment of the body or the deceased, cremation is now permitted. The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for its funeral rites and the cremation take place after the full funeral liturgy with the body. With special permission, however, the bishops of the United States and the Holy See have authorized the celebration of a Catholic funeral liturgy with the cremated remains when the body is cremated before the funeral.
  • If the body is cremated before the funeral liturgy, the gathering space may be used for a memorial visitation 30 mins prior to the funeral Liturgy. The Cremated Remains will be enclosed in an Ossuary
  • The Order of Christian Funerals clearly states that an appropriate, worthy container, such as a classic urn is proper, for the cremated remains. During the Funeral/Liturgy the cremated cremains will be placed in the ossuary and will not be left on a table with pictures and flowers.
  • The remains are to be properly interned in a cemetery or columbarium. (Order of Christian Funerals. #417)
  • The practice of scattering cremated remained in the sea, on the ground or keeping the remains in the home are not the reverent disposition that the church requires.
• The family should select appropriate music from the music sheets provided. The parish provides an organist. Funeral Music Planning
• Your funeral Coordinator can provide information for a luncheon in The Pointe, if available, or at local establishments.
• There is no set “fee” for a funeral liturgy. However, it is customary for a donation to be made to the parish, an average donations for an active parishioner has been $200, depending on family and parish circumstances. Any additional gifts of appreciation to the clergy, , etc. are based upon your discretion and generosity.
• The Music Minister's fee is $150. This includes the music minister playing the organ, piano and singing. Cantor and other musicians can be arranged for additional fees. We are happy to help set this up.
• Additional donations to any other parish organization are up to each individual family.
• Your loved one will be included in the Prayers of the Faithful at all the weekend Masses to be prayed for by our parish community.
• The grieving process is different for each person and can be affected by many factors. Members of our Pastoral Team are available to meet with you to help you through your grieving process.
• Each year on or around All Soul’s Day, our parish celebrates a Mass of Remembrance for all those who have been buried from our parish during the last year. In October, you will receive a special invite to join us for this Mass. During the Mass, you will have the opportunity to light a candle in his or her memory.

To view an archived Mass click Here