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At this time of loss, please know that they prayers and concern of the St. Katharine Drexel Faith Community are with you.
As Christians, we find hope in this time of loss. We believe death is not an end, but a beginning; that the one you love has passed through death from this temporary life to a perfect and everlasting one. We believe that while death separates us now, it will be for just a short while. We will again be reunited in a dwelling place provided by God. The funeral Mass especially expresses this faith in Jesus’ victory over death and our personal share in that resurrection. It does so through prayer and blessings, through songs and readings, through rituals and symbols.
Please call the parish office to arrange a meeting with one of our priests to discuss the options for a funeral Mass. We have also assembled a pamphlet of information for families to use while preparing for a loved one’s funeral Mass and can be accessed by clicking below.
Funeral Planning Prep
In every celebration for the dead, the Church attaches great importance to the reading of the Word of God and accordingly it is not to be omitted. The readings proclaim to the assembly by the paschal mystery, teach remembrance of the dead, convey the hope of being gathered together again in God’s Kingdom, and encourage the witness of Christian life. The homily will reflect these pastoral elements in the context of the person’s life. For a review of commonly chosen funeral readings, visit https://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/sacraments-and-sacramentals/bereavement-and-funerals#tab–for-adults
Music is integral to the funeral rites. It allows the community to express convictions and feelings that words alone may fail to convey. It has the power to console and uplift the bereaved and to strengthen the unity of the assembly in faith and love. The music at funerals should support, console and uplift the participants and should help to create in them a spirit of hope in Christ’s victory over death and in the Christian’s share in that victory.
The ideal is to have music which reflects the Paschal mystery, hope and consolation, families often do request favorite liturgical music which they like. Secular music cannot be accommodated at the funeral Mass, but can be considered at the wake/vigil. A list of commonly chosen funeral music can be found by clicking SKD Funeral Music
The Church calls each member of Christ’s Body to care for the dying, to pray for the dead, to comfort those who mourn. When a member of Christ’s Body dies, the faithful are called to a ministry of consolation to those who have suffered the loss of one whom they love. Christian consolation is rooted in that hope that comes from faith in the saving death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Christian hope faces the reality of death and grief but with an attitude of trust.
The circumstances surrounding a loved one’s death can vary immensely. The very old person who peacefully and quietly died, the young child tragically killed in an accident. Suicide. A lengthy illness. No matter how death has taken place, the community of faith is called to that ministry of consolation with words of faith and support and acts of kindness.
Such assistance then allows members of the family to devote time to planning the funeral rites with the priest and other ministers. Often much has to be done in a relatively short period of time, and sensitivity by all involved will enable the funeral to be planned in a positive and helpful atmosphere.
