On behalf of the St. Leo's community, we offer our heartfelt prayers and deepest sympathies during this time of loss. The death of a loved one is a difficult time, and we hope to assist you in finding strength, consolation, and peace in God's love.
The Three Parts of Catholic Funeral Rites
The Vigil (Wake):
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The principal rite of prayer and remembrance, typically held the evening before the Funeral Mass at the funeral home or church. This is an appropriate time for family and friends to share personal stories and eulogies.
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The Vigil (Wake): The principal rite of prayer and remembrance, typically held the evening before the Funeral Mass at the funeral home or church. This is an appropriate time for family and friends to share personal stories and eulogies.
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The Funeral Liturgy (Mass of Christian Burial): This is the central celebration of the Catholic funeral rites, where the community gathers with the family to commend the deceased to God's tender mercy and to seek strength in the proclamation of the Paschal Mystery (Christ's death and resurrection). The Church strongly encourages the celebration of the Mass with the body present.
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The Rite of Committal: The final farewell at the cemetery, where the body or cremated remains are interred in sacred ground as we await the resurrection of the dead.
Readings for Funeral Mass
The selection of passages from the Bible is an important part of planning a funeral ceremony, as we want to turn to God's word for wisdom and comfort in this time of loss. The Word of God is at the heart of our Christian celebration of faith in this funeral rite in anticipation of the resurrection of the body.
To make this easier for the family, the Catholic Church has pre-selected a number of Biblical passages which are appropriate for the occasion of a funeral. Please look over these passages as part of your funeral preparations, and find those words which speak to your heart.
Only the following readings are to be used at Catholic Funeral Mass.
You can choose two readings (one from OT and one for NT), Psalm and the Gospel,
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one reading (either from OT or NT), Psalm and the Gospel.
last page you will also find the prayers of the Faithfu.l
