Preparing for a Funeral Mass and Burial
- Funeral Mass is with body (casket or cremains) Usually, the burial will follow the Mass.
- Memorial Mass is when the body or cremated remains are not present. There are different circumstances for the absence of the body, i.e., that the body has already been buried.
Our church provides Lectors to proclaim the readings at the Funeral or Memorial Mass. Family may choose one OLD TESTAMENT reading and one NEW TESTAMENT reading:
Download Old and New Testament Readings
Family may also choose music selections from the list provided here (if you choose to have music – you can also choose not to have music):
Download the Hymns for the Funeral Mass
1. Vigil and Visitation
The Vigil is time for family and members of the community to gather at the Funeral Home in prayer and support the night before, in remembrance of a treasured life. Often, a Rosary is prayed, and Eulogies are delivered at this time.
2. Funeral Mass or Memorial Mass
The Funeral Mass is holy and sacred. Family and friends join to reaffirm that life has not ended. It is the memorial of Christ’s sacrifice, and it is a reminder that we are one with Christ in Life, Death, and Resurrection.
3. Committal (Burial or Internment)
The Committal is the final farewell and goodbye. It is the time of internment; the body is committed to its final resting place. Here, family and friends gather to take their final leave with the comfort and the promise of Everlasting Life in Resurrection.
Each Rite serves an important purpose in guiding family and friends through loss, grief, and the journey of healing.
Please, keep in mind that the church cannot serve as the “venue” for Visitation before Mass or Eulogy after Mass.
Christian Burial Guidelines from the Vatican
The Church continues to prefer the practice of burying the bodies of the deceased because this shows a greater esteem toward the departed. Nevertheless, cremation is not prohibited unless it was chosen for reasons contrary to the Christian faith. When cremation of the body has been chosen, the human cremated remains of the faithful must be laid to rest in a sacred place (i.e., a cemetery). This helps to ensure that due respect is shown to the faithful departed and that they are included in the prayers and remembrance of their family and the Catholic community.
Human cremated remains of the faithful departed should not be split among family members, scattered, incorporated into jewelry, or kept at a residence. Assurance must be given that cremated remains will be properly buried or entombed. If a family indicates that the remains are to be scattered or disposed of in any inappropriate way, the cremated remains may NOT be present in the church for a funeral liturgy. Scattering is contrary to Catholic teaching that says the cremated remains should be handled with the same reverence as with a human body.
