Funerals

When a loved one dies, the Church gathers with family and friends to give thanks for the life of the deceased and commend them to the mercy of God.
Together we place our hope in the God who promises eternal life.

The Church's funeral rites commend the dead to God's merciful love and plead for the forgiveness of their sins.  At the funeral rites, especially at the celebration of the eucharistic sacrifice, the Christian community affirms and expresses the union of the Church on earth with the Church in heaven in the one great communion of saints.  At the rite of final commendation and farewell, the community acknowledges the reality of separation and commends the deceased to God.  In this way, it recognizes the spiritual bond between the living and the dead and proclaims its belief that all the faithful will be raised and reunited in the new heavens and a new earth, where death will be no more.
 

Since Christians believe in life after death, including the resurrection of the body, we have always sought to bury the dead reverently. In recent times, the Church has allowed cremation unless cremation is chosen in opposition to Christian teachings like life after death or the resurrection. 

It is preferred that the whole body be present in the Church for the funeral liturgy and cremation after the funeral. 

The scattering of cremated remains, the keeping of cremated remains in a place other than a cemetery, the division of the cremated remains into more than one container is not permitted by the Church because it does not allow for the respectful disposition of the "Earthen Vessel of the Holy Spirit."
 

• Vigil Service (Wake)
  • A 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.  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, songs, and special signs of remembrance should be done at the funeral home during visitation.

• Funeral Mass
  • The funeral Mass is the central liturgical celebration of the Church for the deceased. At the funeral Mass, the Church gathers 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,  nor a "celebration of life."
  • St. Finn Barr Church celebrates Catholic Funerals and burials.  Legitimate cultural traditions will be considered.  Everything else is determined by the liturigcal laws and presiding cleric. The organist, cantor, and menu of sacred music will be provided by the Church.  Please call the office or fill out the form to schedule a funeral and burial. 
  • Available Catholic Funeral Readings
  • St. Finn Barr Church celebrates "Funeral Masses" for Catholics and "Masses for the Dead" for non-Catholics and separated Catholics.

• 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. In committing the body to its resting place, the community expresses the hope that the deceased awaits the glory of the resurrection. This is normally presided over by a Deacon or a Priest. 
  • Catholics only bury or inter remains at a single resting place.  Other actions like sprinkling or "saving" remains elsewhere is prohibited.