Funerals

The Rite of Christian Burial

The Christian meaning of death is revealed in the light of the Paschal mystery of the death and resurrection of Christ in whom resides our only hope. The Christian who dies in Christ Jesus is “away from the body and at home with the Lord.”


For the Christian, the day of death inaugurates, at the end of sacramental life, the fulfillment of new birth begun at Baptism, the definitive “conformity” to “the image of the Son” conferred by the anointing of the Holy Spirit, and participation in the feast of the Kingdom which was anticipated in the Eucharist – even if final purifications are still necessary in order to be clothed with the nuptial garment.


The Church who, as Mother, has borne the Christian sacramentally in her womb during our earthly pilgrimage, accompanies us at journey’s end, in order to surrender us “into the Father’s hands.” She offers to the Father, in Christ, the child of his grace, and she commits to the earth, in hope, the seed of the body that will rise in glory. This offering is fully celebrated in the Eucharistic sacrifice; the blessings before and after Mass are sacramentals.


The Christian funeral is a liturgical celebration of the Church. The ministry of the Church in this instance aims at expressing efficacious communion with the deceased, at the participation in that communion of the community gathered for the funeral, and at the proclamation of eternal life to the community.

— the Catechism of the Catholic Church


We believe that through Baptism we have died with Him and that through Him we shall know the fullness of life for all eternity. This a Journey of Faith. In this ritual, we give our beloved dead to the Lord and support and console each other through our faith. We encourage you, as you walk this journey, to participate in the Funeral Liturgy as fully as you can. This Planning Guide is provided to assist you in making selections for the Funeral Mass of your loved one. Suggestions are offered that you may wish to consider. Please let us know if there are aspects of the Funeral Liturgy that need to be further explained. Be assured that you and your loved ones hold special mention in our prayers at this time. If there is any way we can be of assistance, we welcome your request. May the love of God and the peace his Spirit brings, provide you with comfort and consolation.


The Parishioners and Pastoral Staff of Corpus Christi-St. Bernard Parish

 

The Welcome: The Funeral Liturgy starts at the back of the Church. After the welcome and greeting, the casket is sprinkled with holy water and the Pall (reminiscent of the baptismal garment) is spread over the casket. Family members are invited to help spread the Pall and place a religious symbol important to the deceased if desired.

Liturgy of the Word:
 There are three readings from Sacred Scripture. A member of the funeral team will help the family select readings and music. The family may select one person to proclaim the First Reading. The 1st Reading is from the Old Testament, and the 2nd Reading is from the New Testament. If the family does not have lectors, a minister is available to proclaim the readings. The Gospel is chosen by the priest or presiding minister.

Prayers of the Faithful:
 The family may read these prayers if desired. This will be discussed during the meeting with the funeral team.

Offertory Procession: 
At the Offertory, family members are invited to bring forward the bread and wine that are to be used during the liturgy. 

Words of Remembrance: 
These words are an optional part of the burial rites and may be shared during the Wake or at the Graveside. They are meant to reflect upon the Faith and Christian values of the deceased. There can be only one speaker, and if the option for speaking at the Mass is chosen, he or she should speak only for 3-5 minutes. The parish and/or funeral team member will be happy to assist with the questions that would need to be addressed regarding the person's faith. 

The following are links to readings and music for funeral liturgies. Please prayerfully consider the readings and choose one from each category:

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