Funeral and Columbarium FAQs

“The Church through its funeral rites commends the dead to God’s merciful love and pleads for the forgiveness of their sins.  At the funeral rites, especially at the celebration of the Eucharistic sacrifice, the Christian community affirms and expresses the union of the Church on earth with the Church in heaven in the one great communion of saints.  Though separated from the living, the dead are still at one with the community of believers on earth and benefit from their prayers and intercession.  At the rite of final commendation and farewell, the community acknowledges the reality of separation and commends the deceased to God.  In this way it recognizes the spiritual bond that still exists between the living and the dead and proclaims its belief that all the faithful will be raised up and reunited in the new heavens and a new earth, where death will be no more.” - Order of Christian Funerals #6 

Funeral Procedures and Protocol 

St. Jude Catholic Parish is staffed from 8:30am to 1:30pm Monday through Friday.  Please call the parish office during these times when a death occurs.

Recommended Funeral Stipends

The following suggested stipends/fees are based 
on services rendered by St. Jude's staff.  

  • Church  None/Donation

  • Organist $100.00

  • Cantor $100.00

  • Servers $10.00 when school is out of session

  • Priest/presider:  None/Donation

  • Deacon:  None/Donation

* In case of financial hardship, all fees may be waived.

Guest Priest/Deacon

Policy:  If the family of the deceased requests a guest presider, the pastor of St. Jude’s is to be informed.  The presider should speak to the family.  The guest priest/deacon will always be welcome to celebrate (or assist in the case of a deacon) as long as he is in good standing.  At the discretion of the presider, the guest priest or deacon may be permitted to give the homily final commendation and lead the service at the cemetery. 

Mass or Liturgy without Mass?

Policy:  The standard liturgy for a deceased Catholic who was in good standing with the Church is a Mass, with the body present. If there is question about whether a liturgy without Mass might be more appropriate, please consult with the pastor.

A Child who has died before Baptism

Policy:  A Mass can always be celebrated for a child who has died, even without baptism.  Appropriate prayers are used if the child was not baptized. 

Reflection

The grieving process necessarily includes time to remember the life of the deceased loved one. In the Catholic funeral rite, this is most appropriately done during the time of visitation, at lunch, or even at the Vigil (Wake) Service.  Since the Funeral Mass is primarily the time for praise and thanks for God's gift of eternal life in Jesus, we discourage the inclusion of a eulogy at the Mass.  Therefore, please be sure to plan for eulogies at the Vigil (Wake) Service. Words of remembrance may be offered by one speaker at the conclusion of the Funeral Mass, and must be brief (2-3 minutes).

Reception

Our St. Martha's Banquet Committee can provide a light reception which includes finger food, dessert and beverages.  The Committee will set-up, serve & clean-up for the reception.  Complete information is provided by the Martha's Banquet Supervisor. There is no fee for this service, but donations are welcome.

Cremation

In 1997 the Vatican granted permission for funeral Masses to be celebrated with the cremated remains of an individual at the discretion of each diocesan bishop.  Though allowing Catholics to choose cremation, the Catholic Church “clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites, since the presence of the human body better expresses the values which the Church affirms in those rites” (Order of Christian Burial appendix II).   In addition to fully expressing the Church’s belief in the resurrection of the body, the presence of the body at the funeral allows the friends and family of the deceased to enter into the grieving process in a way that is substantively different than with the cremated remains.  Therefore, those opting to have cremation are strongly encouraged to have the body of the deceased present at the funeral, with cremation and burial to follow in the next couple of days. The ashes of the cremated deceased must be interred in a single location, not scattered.

Columbarium

To provide a place of interment for deceased parishioners who have chosen to be cremated after death, St. Jude Catholic Church houses two columbaria built in the same loving spirit in which churches of the past provided cemeteries for traditional burials.  For more information regarding availability and cost in our outdoor Columbarium Garden, please contact our Business Manager in the main office during parish office hours.