Resources for Funerals

Pastoral Support and Liturgical Resources for Funerals

My dear friends,

May I begin by offering my sympathy to you at the death of your loved one. Death is a difficult moment in the lives of families and individuals at any time and especially under the current circumstances. When someone we love dies, we naturally look to others for support but this is not possible at this time.

The advice received from the Government and from health agencies are clear that, during the current emergency, everyone should practice social-distancing to reduce the spread of Covid-19 and to protect, as far as is practical, everyone from infection.

The Irish Wake has long been a tradition in our society but at the present time I urge you to make the Wake strictly private, limiting the number of people in the house to just the immediate family.

Our beloved dead are wonderfully remembered and attending their funerals is seen as the right and fitting thing to do. However, again in this present time, it is dangerous for many people to congregate in one place and so I have had to take the very difficult decision to suspend the public celebration of funerals in churches.

These booklets are short prayer services adapted from the Order of Christian Funerals for use by Clergy and your family to use at the time when your loved one is due to leave the home for the last time.

A Priest and Deacon will ordinarily be present at the cemetery in order to give your relative a Christian burial.

May the God of love bless and console you at this difficult time.

+ Noel Treanor
Bishop of Down & Connor

Pastoral Support

For Families

Families who are seeking pastoral support and spiritual guidance at the time of a funeral could:

(i)  Call their local parish clergy by telephone.

(ii)  Contact their local ‘Bethany Bereavement Group’ by telephone (Details of local groups are available on the Bethany Website and local parish websites, social media or parish bulletins)

The Bethany Bereavement Support Group is a voluntary parish based group ministry which aims to help the bereaved and grieving. If you have suffered a bereavement and would like to avail of their services, please contact your local or nearest parish group.

For more information visit the website

Liturgical Resources

For Clergy

Rite of Christian Burial for use by Clergy (At Graveside)

For Families

Prayer within the Home for use by a Lay Person in the Absence of a Priest

Rite of Christian Burial for use by a Lay Person in the Absence of a Priest (At Graveside) – Version 1

Rite of Christian Burial for use by a Lay Person in the Absence of a Priest (At Graveside) – Version 2