Blessed are they who mourn, they will be comforted.

How to Organize a Funeral Liturgy?

On behalf of Our Lady of Perpetual Help,

please accept our deepest sympathy for your loss.

 

In the Catholic faith we believe that, although life in this world ends, we enter a new beginning; from life on earth we pass into a perfect life permanently residing with our Lord in heaven. We who survive our deceased loved ones hope to be reunited with them one day in a place that is designed by our God, (in my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?) (John 14:2)

 

When a Catholic person dies, we the Church have a set of particular rituals that help us to grieve, to express gratitude and to pray for the soul of the deceased.  We invite you to take an active part in preparing the funeral rituals which will be used to celebrate the life of the deceased

 

At the time of death

The time of death, whether sudden or expected, is a very stressful time for the family. Please follow these steps to help maintain a smooth transition for your family.

  1.  Please contact the mortuary of your choice. The funeral director at the mortuary will work very closely with Our Lady of Perpetual Help to coordinate all aspects of the funeral liturgies. If hospice or a hospital is involved, they may have other guidelines you need to follow.
  2. Contact the parish office 480-947-4331 during normal office hours to schedule a day and time for the funeral (celebration of life). The funeral coordinator  will guide you through the process. 
  3. The coordinator will also, provide you with the “Mass of Christian Burial” planning form to complete with your choices for the scripture reading selections (one  from the Old Testament,  one  from the New Testament and  one  from the Gospels.) Music selections will also have to be selected. Together we can help organize and provide a beautiful celebration of life for your loved one. 
  4. Please take the time to read the booklet and pray about what would be the best way to express faith, hope and love for your loved one.
  5. Lastly, we are here to assist you and to answer any questions.

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION  FOR YOURCONVENIENCE: 

Mass of Christian Burial Form

How do I Choose Scriptures for the Funeral Liturgy?

It is customary to choose one reading from the Old Testament, one Psalm, one reading from the New Testament (except the Gospels) and one reading from the Gospels. All those choices are available for your review in the booklet “Preparing a Catholic Funeral”. If you would like to use a different scripture for the liturgy, simply contact us at the parish and we will guide you through this process. Remember that it is customary for the Psalm to be sung by the musician(s).

Scripture Reading Selections

How do I Choose Appropriate Music for Funeral Liturgies?

Music is an integral part of every Catholic liturgy. It helps us to participate in our rituals and it helps express some of the grief, hope and gratitude we feel in our hearts. At OLPH Church we provide you with a sheet of titles which are appropriate for the different liturgies. Remember that there are guidelines that we follow from the conference of bishops which help us decide what is appropriate music for Catholic funeral liturgies. If you have any questions about a particular song or you would want clarification regarding a certain title, do not hesitate to contact the director of Liturgy & Music at the parish. They will always be happy to guide you through the liturgy or answer any question you may have regarding the music at the different rituals for funeral.


Funeral Song Suggestions