Funeral Liturgy Planning Form

Please fill in the contact info of the person filling out this form.

The Priest meets the casket at the back of Church and leads the procession in. Once the casket is in place at the head of the aisle, the "Pall," a white cloth symbolizing the garment of Baptism, is placed over the casket. This will be done by (check one):

A symbol of Christian life, such as a Bible, Cross, Rosary or Prayer Book that was meaningful to the Deceased may be placed on the casket after the pall covers the casket.

Please see our list of suggested Scripture readings. If you would like a Scripture reading that is not in that list, please add the name of the book, chapter and verse.

The General Intercessions (also known as the Prayer of the Faithful or the Petitions) come after the homily. They are the community's prayers for immediate needs and the needs of the world.

The family is welcomed to choose one person to offer a personal reflection after Communion. The reflection is usually more personal about the deceased, speaking of values and virtues. It should be prepared beforehand and written out. It is requested that a copy be given to Elaine LaFollette no later than the day before the funeral. The person giving the reflection should be aware of the sacredness of the occasion and the Church setting. Please limit remarks to a 4-5 minute maximum. The remarks should not take precedence over the homily, but should be a simple, personal reflection of the person's life. It is fine to mention one or two short stories, but beyond that it is not possible to sum up a person's life in those moments-- nor is it necessary. Allow the deceased person's life to speak for itself.

Music for the Mass of Christian burial will be offered by our organist and cantor. Congregational singing is an integral part of Mass. However, one or two solos by our cantor are possible. Musical selections should reflect the sense of hope and peace given to us in the Resurrection of Jesus. By nature, they should be religious or spiritual. Any secular songs or CD's will only by allowed prior to the beginning of Mass and only if they are appropriate for the Church setting. Hymns suggested will be used if they are known by the people involved with the Music Ministry. Our organist, Jane Moore-Price, is available to assist you (315-637-8570).

Please include some values, virtues, interests, etc. about your loved one that will help the priest get to know him/her a little better.