Planning, Preparing, and Holding A Funeral at Immaculate Conception
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord… and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls, and all the souls of the faithful departed, Rest in Peace.
Funeral Liturgy Planning Guide
We have prepared a brief checklist for families planning a funeral, which is a resource you can use in conjunction with arrangements made by the funeral director at the funeral home.
Donations for a lost loved one
If you are wishing to donate online to Immaculate Conception in memory of a lost loved one, please click here and select "Other" in the drop-down menu. You can then add "In Memory of <the departed's name>" in the Memo line. Thank you.
Funeral Luncheons
Meals are provided by our Funeral Luncheon ministry. Meat is provided by the family and all other dishes are provided by IC parishioners. (Donations are appreciated to cover the costs of paper goods, hot food items, etc.) Those wishing to serve a luncheon should contact the parish office as soon as possible so the meal can be arranged.
Readings for the Funeral Liturgy
In every celebration for the dead, the Church attaches great importance to the reading of the word of God. The readings proclaim to the assembly the Paschal Mystery, teach remembrance of the dead, convey the hope of being gathered together again in God's kingdom, and encourage the witness of Christian life. Above all, the readings tell of God's designs for a world in which suffering and death will relinquish their hold on all whom God has called his own. A careful selection and use of readings from Scripture for the funeral rites will provide the family with an opportunity to hear God speak to them in their needs, sorrows, fears, and hopes.
In the celebration of the Liturgy of the Word at the funeral liturgy, the Biblical readings may not be replaced by nonbiblical readings. But during prayer services with the family nonbiblical readings may be used in addition to readings from Scripture.
– Order of Christian Funerals, General Introduction, nos. 22-23
Funeral Liturgy for Adults
First Reading
Responsorial Psalm
Second Reading
(or First Reading when no Old Testament Readings are selected)
Gospel
Funeral Liturgy for Baptized Children
Funeral Liturgy for Children who Died before Baptism
An Overview Of Catholic Funeral Rites
“At the death of a Christian, whose life of faith was begun in the waters of Baptism and strengthened at the Eucharistic table, the Church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end, nor does it break the bonds forged in life. The Church also ministers to the sorrowing and consoles them in the funeral rites with the comforting Word of God and the Sacrament of the Eucharist.”
ORDER OF CHRISTIAN FUNERALS, NO. 4
The Catholic funeral rite is divided into several stations, or parts, each with its own purpose. For this reason, we recommend following the complete structure and making use of each station.
Vigil Service (Wake)
"At the vigil, the Christian community keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ's presence" (Order of Christian Funerals, no. 56). The Vigil Service usually takes place during the period of visitation and viewing at the funeral home. It is a time to remember the life of the deceased and to commend him/her to God. In prayer we ask God to console us in our grief and give us strength to support one another.
The Vigil Service can take the form of a Service of the Word with readings from Sacred Scripture accompanied by reflection and prayers. It can also take the form of one of the prayers of the Office for the Dead from the Liturgy of the Hours. The clergy and your funeral director can assist in planning such service.
It is most appropriate, when family and friends are gathered together for visitation, to offer time for recalling the life of the deceased. For this reason, eulogies are usually encouraged to be done at the funeral home during visitation or at the Vigil Service.
Funeral Liturgy
The funeral liturgy is the central liturgical celebration of the Christian community for the deceased. When one of its members dies, the Church encourages the celebration of the funeral liturgy at a Mass. When Mass cannot be celebrated, a funeral liturgy outside Mass can be celebrated at the church or in the funeral home. There are no Masses in Funeral Homes
At the funeral liturgy, the Church gathers with the family and friends of the deceased to give praise and thanks to God for Christ’s victory over sin and death, to commend the deceased to God’s tender mercy and compassion, and to seek strength in the proclamation of the Paschal Mystery. The funeral liturgy, therefore, is an act of worship, and not merely an expression of grief.
Rite of Committal (Burial or Interment)
The Rite of Committal, the conclusion of the funeral rite, is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of its deceased member. It should normally be celebrated at the place of committal, that is, beside the open grave or place of interment. In committing the body to its resting place, the community expresses the hope that, with all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith, the deceased awaits the glory of the resurrection. The Rite of Committal is an expression of the communion that exists between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven: the deceased passes with the farewell prayers of the community of believers into the welcoming company of those who need faith no longer, but see God face-to-face.