FUNERAL PLANNING

Funeral Planning

“Because of our belief not only in the immortality of the soul, but also in the resurrection of the body, the Church professes hope in the face of death, and acts with charity in the funeral rites. The Church provides a number of prayers for the faithful to offer both to accompany the dying of a loved one and to strengthen our faith upon their death. Through private prayer and public funeral rites, we strengthen our faith and hope, comfort those who mourn, and bury the bodily remains of the deceased with care befitting what was the Temple of the Holy Spirit.”

US Conference of Catholic Bishops

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.

Christians celebrate the funeral rites to offer worship, praise, and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has now been returned to God, the author of life and the hope of the just. The Mass, the memorial of Christ's death and resurrection, is the principal celebration of the Christian funeral.

Order of Christian Funerals

To plan for a funeral at St. Thomas, please contact Terese at 834-2126, ext 203.

THREE SACRED MOMENTS - video

This video is a clear description of the three-part journey of Christian burial. It explains the importance of the Vigil, the Funeral Mass, and the Rite of Committal. The Vigil allows time for the living to tell stories about the deceased – essentially focusing on their life. The Funeral Mass focuses on the hope for the future – that our faith teaches that death has no victory – we have hope for eternal life. The Rite of Committal is the final goodbye for the loved ones and is a reminder of the importance of the reverent care of the deceased that our faith requires.