Scheduling
Customarily, the date and time of the funeral Mass and wake service is scheduled through the Funeral Home. Funerals cannot be held on Sundays, Holy Days or during the Sacred Triduum (Holy Thursday - Easter). The Church will contact our Music Director.
Cremation
In recent years, the Catholic Church has lifted the prohibition against the practice of cremation and has revised the rites for services with cremated remains. The cremated remains can be brought into the church for the Funeral Mass. Typically, a priest will accompany the cremated remains to the cemetery for committal after the funeral. The Church prohibits the practice of dividing or scattering remains. It is possible to have a picture of the deceased placed in the entrance of the church or near the cremains.
Visiting Priests
Visiting priests are welcome to concelebrate and take part in the Mass at the discretion of the Pastor.
The Wake Service
The Catholic Church has a long tradition of keeping vigil for those who have died. It is a time of public prayer that gathers and binds family and friends alike. Normally, the wake will take place at the funeral home the night before the funeral Mass. The priest or deacon will lead the service of Scripture and prayer.
Preparing for the Mass
The priest will call the family contact once that information is received from the funeral director. At that time specific decisions for the Mass can be made, such as music and Scriptural readings.
An Important Note About Eulogies:
Sometimes there is temptation to blur the difference between the wake and the Mass, to eliminate one or the other, or to speak of the Mass as only a memorial.
The wake is the primary place for remembering and celebrating the person's life in this world. At the funeral Mass itself, the liturgy allows some brief word of thanks by a family member after communion, but not long eulogies that are more appropriate for a wake. If others need to speak in church, for example, at the funeral of a public figure, then, if circumstances permit, this might more appropriately be done before the funeral mass begins. The committal service at the cemetary also provides an opportunity for other cermonials; for example, the military honors show to deceased veterans. (Archbishop Leonard Blair, The Archbishop's Desk: Enteral rest grant unto them, O Lord, The Catholic Transcript, October 2014)
