The death of a loved one can be one of the most distressing and emotional occurrences that a person can experience. When a loved one dies, there are many important decisions that must be made, documents that must be quickly located, and numerous people who must be notified. Often, these decisions are made without guidance and under extreme duress from grief and confusion. 

We hope the following information will provide you peace and answer many questions as to what should be done, and where to start. Please feel free to contact your church and sit down with the pastor or the Ministry Leader from the Bereavement Ministry to understand the Catholic perspective on planning a Holy Funeral. 

Before Death...

It is best to accomplish these tasks while still of able mind and body.

• Plan a meeting with your parish priest so he can administer the sacraments to the dying family member and answer any questions the family may have about death and the church's funeral rites.
• Discuss your dying family member's wishes, taking into consideration what is best for him or her and honoring the wishes the dying outlines.
• Make any arrangements you can before the death of your loved one, including planning the funeral rites and selecting cemetery property.

At Time of Death...

Call the parish priest to offer prayer and to comfort, and consult the family in preparing for funeral rites.

• At the parish, a bereavement representative will help you choose readings and responses and offer music selections, if they have not been pre-selected.
• Contact a funeral home fluent in Catholic funeral planning. It is important to not hand over all the responsibility for the Vigil, Funeral, and Burial to the funeral director alone. Consult with your priest and/or parish bereavement representative.
• After major decisions have taken place by the family with the priest, the funeral director can confirm all the plans.
  • At the funeral home you will plan for the Vigil (if not at the church) and viewings.
  • You will select a burial casket or urn.
  • You may also provide information to the funeral director for the death certificate. This includes all vital statistical information including the deceased’s social security number, life insurance information, veteran’s benefits, etc.
  • Order flowers (not allowable in the Church during Advent or Lenten seasons) and arrange transportation for the services.
  • Provide information for death notice or obituary in the newspaper.
• Cemeteries — if your loved one has not pre-purchased their committal space (grave, crypt, or niche) you need to select a burial location based on the type of committal (full body or cremation). 

The Order of Catholic Funeral Rites

Order of Christian Funerals presents the Church’s plan for the celebration of the death of one of the faithful. These rites assume the presence of the body because they evoke the soul’s passage from this life to the next. Each of these rites emphasizes a particular dimension of the Church’s prayer for the deceased.

Prayers after Death

Offered at the time of death or shortly thereafter, these prayers are led by the priest, deacon, or other minister of the Church. This rite usually takes place in a hospital, nursing home, hospice facility, or home of the deceased. Alternatively, these prayers can be recited at the parish church when the family comes to make funeral arrangements for the deceased.

Prayer in the Presence of the Body

These prayers are usually recited either privately or at the funeral home before the viewing of the body.

Vigil

The vigil for the deceased is the principal rite celebrated by the Christian community following death and before the funeral liturgy - before the rite of committal. Two options are provided for the Vigil:

• a Liturgy of the Word, or
• some form of the Office of the Dead from the Liturgy of the Hours

Funeral Mass

All Catholics are entitled to a Funeral Mass, which should not be denied them even though family members and friends may not themselves be Catholic. The Funeral Mass should generally be celebrated in the parish church of the deceased. If, for some reason, it is not possible to celebrate a Funeral Mass, the Funeral Liturgy outside of Mass should be used. This rite may be celebrated in a funeral home, chapel, or in the church. When the Funeral Liturgy outside Mass is used, a Mass for the deceased should be scheduled after the funeral, at a date and time convenient for the family.

Rite of Committal

Burial

The burial takes place at the cemetery, where the body is interred in sacred ground or in an above-ground burial space (mausoleum). Many Catholic Churches in the area own sacred cemetery grounds. Please ask about this during the planning phase of the funeral.

Cremation and Interment

The Church prefers that cremation take place after the full Funeral Liturgy wherein the body is present. The Church’s belief in the sacredness of life and the resurrection of the dead encourages us to celebrate the Funeral Liturgy with the body present while affirming the value of human life.

If it is not possible for the body to be present at the Funeral Mass, the Catholic Church has granted permission for the celebration of the Funeral Mass with the cremated remains of the body present in the church. Since it is the “earthly” remains and not the "body of the deceased" that is present, adaptations in the liturgy will be required.

It is the Catholic belief and practice that cremated remains of the body should be buried or entombed in a Columbarium. Scattering the cremated remains of the body, keeping them at home, or dividing them among various family members does not align with the Catholic Funeral Rite due to its irreverent disposition.

St. Jerome has a Columbarium on campus.

After Death...

Grief doesn’t end with the funeral rites, and can have lasting effects on individuals. Individuals grieve in different times, spaces, and manners. St. Jerome offers resources to help loved ones deal with grief after the death of someone — including, but not limited to: consolation of grief workshops, prayer services, Masses, and events. Please contact the parish office to learn more.

Speak With Someone From St. Jerome Parish

Polly Woodard is the Bereavement Ministry Leader. Please contact her for planning or questions related to Catholic Funeral Planning. You may also call the parish office at 254-666-7722.

Polly Woodard
[email protected]