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Funeral Information
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| Please contact
the Parish Office as soon as possible in order to coordinate
services. |
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| Funeral Services |
A question many Catholics ask when death touches their family is
"We have never been through this before, what are we supposed to do? What type of service are we going to have?"
There are several options available to families.
Traditionally, practicing Catholic families have a Vigil Scripture Service and a Wake in the evening, followed by a funeral mass in the parish church and burial sometime the next day (usually in the morning). Often families will ask to have a rosary recited in place of the scripture service. Because a priest's presence is not necessary for this devotion, a family member usually leads this prayer.
Another type of service available to Catholic families includes a scripture service (usually in the mortuary chapel) immediately followed by a graveside burial service.
For families choosing to have a cremation, the funeral service ends either after the mass or the scripture service, and arrangements for the burial service, and arrangements for the burial may be made for a later date.
As the number of priests decrease and the demands on their ministry increases, we strongly advise our parishioners to discuss their plans for a funeral's date and time with one of the parish priests before making arrangements with the mortuary. Unfortunately, there have been times when mortuaries have scheduled funerals (without consulting the parish) at a time when the priests are not available.
The priests from St. Thomas More Catholic Community are available to preside at funerals for any registered member of the parish or any Catholic who lives within the parish boundaries. Also, the parish's director of music/liturgy is available to meet with the family to assist in planning the scripture readings and music for the service. Families need not wait until the time of death to start making these plans.
A question many Catholics ask
when death touches their family is "We have never been
through this before, what are we supposed to do? What type of
service are we going to have?".
There are several options available to families.
Traditionally, practicing Catholic families usually have a
Vigil Scripture Service and Wake in the evening, followed by a
funeral mass in the parish church and burial sometime the next
day (usually in the morning). Often families will ask to have
a rosary recited in place of the scripture service. Because a
priest's presence is not necessary for this devotion, a family
member usually leads this prayer.
Another type of service available to Catholic families
includes a scripture service (usually in the mortuary chapel)
immediately followed by a graveside burial service.
For families choosing to have a cremation, the funeral service
ends either after the mass or the scripture service, and
arrangements for the burial may be made for a later date.
As the number of priests decrease and the demands on their
ministry increases, we strongly advise our parishioners to
discuss their plans for a funeral's date and time with one of
the parish priests before making arrangements with the
mortuary. Unfortunately, there have been times when mortuaries
have scheduled funerals (without consulting the parish) at a
time when the priests are not available.
The priests from St. Thomas More Catholic Community are
available to preside at funerals for any registered member of
the parish or any Catholic who lives within the parish
boundaries. Also, the parish's director of music/liturgy is
available to meet with the family to assist in planning the
scripture readings and music for the service. Families need
not wait until the time of death to start making these plans. |
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