About the Funeral Rites of the Church

Can I Have a Funeral for My Loved One?
Typically, the Rite of Christian Burial is celebrated for baptized Catholics. However, the Catholic Church also permits the rites to be celebrated for unbaptized children of Christian families and baptized members of non-Catholic communities of faith.

Funeral Mass or Service?
The Rite of Christian Burial offers several options for prayerful celebrations. While the traditional practice involves the celebration of a funeral Mass, circumstances may dictate a preference for a service of scripture and prayer at the funeral home and/or the cemetery. This might be appropriate when the family or loved ones are not of the Catholic faith or when the deceased was not an active Catholic. If you have questions regarding options for the Funeral Rites celebration, please contact one of our parish's priests. Note that if the deceased regularly participated in the Eucharist celebration, they should not be deprived of the funeral Mass simply because few (if any) relatives and/or friends might attend. The number of mourners should not determine whether or not a funeral Mass is celebrated.

Cremation
While the Catholic Church continues to encourage the ancient custom of burying the body of a deceased person, cremation is permitted. The following are the options for a funeral liturgy when cremation is involved:

1. The body may be brought to the church for the funeral Mass, and cremation follows afterward (this is the preferred option).
2. Cremation may occur, and the funeral Mass is celebrated in the presence of the cremated remains.
3. A service of prayer and Scripture reading may take place in the funeral home before cremation.

Please note that the Church expects the ashes of cremated persons to be buried or entombed in a timely fashion out of respect for the deceased. It is against Church law for cremated remains to be placed on a mantle at home or spread elsewhere. The Church will only bury someone if there is complete assurance that the cremated remains will be buried or interred.

Sensitive Circumstances
In the case of a person who dies as a result of suicide, pastoral care is the focus. While the Catholic Church does not condone such actions, it does not pass judgment on the person either. It is possible that the person committing suicide was not in full possession of their rational faculties at the time of the act. Moreover, we cannot determine the emotional or faith disposition of the person at the moment of death. Therefore, the normal pastoral response is to provide all appropriate rites of Christian burial for such individuals.

Turning to God's word for wisdom and comfort, the selecting of scripture text is an important part of planning a funeral Mass.  The Word of God is an important part of the funeral rite, our Christian celebration of faith in anticipation of the resurrection of the body.

The Church has identified a selection of readings which are appropriate for a funeral/memorial Mass.  Please review these sacred passages in preparation for the funeral and find those with words that speak to your heart.  The choices are to correspond to the following guidelines:

• The first reading is to be from the Old Testament
• The second reading is to be from the New Testament
• The Gospel reading is also to be from the New Testament and it may be chosen either by the presider or the family.  This may be discussed between the planner(s) and the priest who will preside at the funeral liturgy; however, the presider has the final decision regarding the Gospel reading.
• The family is invited to choose readers for the first and second readings
• The priest or an assisting deacon proclaims the Gospel

Once you have selected readings you would like to request (as identified by name of the book of the bible along with the chapter and verse numbers), please let the priest know as well as who you would like to read them.  The list of readings from which to choose as well as additional information on funeral and bereavement topics, can be found at: