A Family Guide to Planning and Celebrating a Funeral

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

In Ireland there are many long standing traditions that show our deep respect for the dignity of death and saying farewell to the people we love. The Christian funeral is of profound importance to Irish society.

The rituals surrounding our funerals allow us to pray for the deceased, create an opportunity for the bereaved to mourn and be comforted, and to assure the entire community of the certain hope found in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

In recent times we have seen many changes to funerals: the availability of cremations, the disruption that took place during the COVID-19 pandemic, and in many of our parishes the support of deacons and the lay faithful leading prayers in homes, at the graveside and crematorium.

In light of the demands being placed on a smaller number of priests we can anticipate that in each of the 86 parishes of the Diocese of Down and Connor there will be a need for more lay people to be trained and to provide prayerful support by leading prayer in our own communities to support the bereaved.

This resource booklet is provided across each of our parishes to help families reflect on the funeral liturgies.

It can be used to support you in thinking and preparing for your own funeral and it can be an aid for prayer and preparation of a funeral following the death of a loved one. Each day those who have died are remembered at every Mass, as are those who mourn.

Let us take comfort in these prayers and in the certain hope that for the Lord’s faithful, in death, life is changed not ended.

+Alan Mc Guckian SJ

Bishop of Down and Connor

Resource

Download a copy of the Family Guide to Celebrating a Funeral in the Catholic Church