A Community
Rejoices and Weeps Together
In November we celebrate the feats of All Saints and All Souls. We remember our dead in the Book of Life and in rites of remembrance. At Holy Redeemer, we read the name of everyone who was buried from our church in the past year and light a candle in their memory.
We in the Ministry to the Bereaved want to let you in the parish know what happens when there is a death in our parish and how you can expect our ministry to help you.
When the parish office is notified of a death, the clergy are called and a member of the bereavement ministry is contacted. One or two bereavement ministers visit with the family and help plan out the vigil service and funeral liturgy. Members of the deceased’s family choose readings, songs, and eulogists. There is a booklet with the commonly used readings and songs, but other fitting ones may be chosen by the family. Our Director of Liturgy has asked us not to select secular songs for the Mass of Christian burial. These may be sung at the vigil.
The ministry also attends vigil services, providing moral support to family and friends, offering refreshments on the mezzanine, helping with removal of flowers afterward, among things. A minister also attends the funeral. After funerals, if space is available, the ministry prepares and serves a luncheon.
Since a person’s grief does not end at the funeral Mass, we also contact people periodically throughout the first year after their loss, by card or phone. We also have a library which is available to answer parishioners’ questions. We bring in speakers to address topics such as the ins and outs of funeral homes, children’s grief, and hospice.
Sometimes in each of our lives, we must all face this most inevitable and most human of experiences. Paul tells us in his letter to the Romans, “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.” And in our communal weeping and rejoicing, may we all find God’s eternal peace.
Additional Documents:
Bereavement Ministry Planning GuideBereavement Ministry Check List
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- Microsoft Word Format
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