In the face of death, the Church confidently proclaims that God has created each person for eternal life and that Jesus, the Son of God, by His death and resurrection, has broken the chains of sin and death that bound humanity.
We here at Our Lady of Perpetual Help wish to extend our deepest condolences for your loss. Please know that we as your brothers and sisters in Christ, grieve and pray with you. We also want to give you the opportunity to personalize this celebration of your loved one’s life. For this reason we have established this booklet to help you plan the funeral celebration. You are encouraged to select symbols, music and scriptural readings, that best express your love and prayers.
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 Funeral Mass, the memorial of Christ's death and resurrection, is the principal celebration of the Christian funeral. The Catholic Funeral Rites also include the Vigil Service and the Rite of Committal. The Vigil Service (Wake) is typically a gathering of family and friends at the funeral home on the eve to the Funeral Mass with a simple prayer service or Rosary. The Rite of Committal (Burial) is the conclusion of the Funeral Rites which consist of blessing the final resting place of the deceased. The central theme of the Catholic Funeral Rites is our faith in the Resurrection. We believe that we too will share in the Resurrection of Jesus and our bodies will be glorified like Jesus.
Please use the document below to help with the funeral planning process.