"May the angels lead you...into Paradise.
May the martyrs come to welcome you.
And take you to the Holy City
The new and eternal Jerusalem."
We, as members of the parish of Our Lady of the Sierra, wish you deepest condolences and comfort during your time of loss. We are here to support you in all ways possible so that the life, gifted by God will be celebrated as a great gift as we return that gift to God through the liturgies of Resurrection.
The Order of Christian Funerals
After the death of a loved one, please contact the parish so that we might begin, immediately, to support you. There are many ways in which we will be able to support you:
Consultation prior to meeting with the Funeral Home/Cemetery
Compassionate planning of liturgical services and burial services
Coordinated services for Funerals and Cremations
"At the death of a Christian, whose life of faith was begun in the waters of Baptism and strengthened at the Eucharistic table, the Church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end nor does it break the bonds forged in life." ~Order of Christian Funerals #4
In union with all Christ's faithful people, the prayer of the Church brings spiritual help to our loved one and consoling hope to those who mourn as we give witness to our faith in the future resurrection of the baptized with Christ.
The staff here at Our Lady of the Sierra parish would be very happy to work with you individually to plan your loved one's funeral. After your initial consultation with the funeral home, please call our parish office to begin coordinating the liturgies to celebrate your love one's life.
We are happy to assist you in planning the following:
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The Vigil Service
The Night before the Eucharistic Liturgy is celebrated, you will gather your family and friends at the funeral home for a time of remembering. Our Church tradition teaches us the "at the vigil the Christian community keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ's presence." Our Lady of the Sierra parish enters into this process of remembering by offering the prayer of the Church which is a scripture service calling us to an awareness of God's mercy.
Some families do have a long tradition of praying the rosary together as a family. If this is your tradition, then our parish wants to respect that tradition, and we will join you in its recitation. We encourage different family members to lead the different decades of the prayer, and we will offer scriptural references to Christ's message of comfort
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Eucharistic Liturgy
When you meet with our Bereavement Ministry and Pastoral Staff they will want to discuss your special memories of your loved one. Then, together you will discuss choices for music and Sacred Scripture. Some members of your family may be Lectors or Eucharistic Ministers. If they are, this is an appropriate time to incorporate their ministry into the Rites for Christian Burial. Your family may also wish to place the pall on the casket at the liturgy or present the bread and wine at the preparation of the gifts. All these choices are discussed at the meeting with our staff. By working through each phase of the funeral liturgy, your family will have opportunity to involve more people in this important process.
Cemetery: Rite of Committal
The final phase of the Rites of Christian Burial are the prayers that are offered at the cemetery. Out tradition teaches us that "the rite of committal marks the separation in this life of the mourners from the deceased, and through it the community assists them as they complete their care for the deceased and lay the body to rest."
The Women's Guild of our parish, as part of its ministry to the parish, offers grieving families a reception following the Funeral Liturgy and Commital. This is done at no cost to the family and is part of our ministry to you.
A few frequently asked questions:
Can Catholics be cremated?
Yes. Since 1963 Catholics have had the choice to be cremated.
When should the cremation take place?
The Church prefers that the cremation take place after the full funeral liturgy. However in American culture, cremation often takes place immediately after death.
If the cremation takes place immediately after death, what about the funeral liturgy?
If this is the case, then the ashes should be brought to the Church for the funeral liturgy in a worthy container. There are prayers in the Order of Christian Funeral for cremation.
May we scatter the ashes?
No. "The practice of scattering cremated remains...or keeping cremated remains in the home...are not the revert disposition that the Church requires." (Order of Christian Funeral, Appendix II)
So what should we do?
Respectful disposition of cremated remains involves internment or entombment. Your funeral director is able to explain these options.
What about Military Honors when there is no Commital Service:
We have designed a beautiful service complete with Military Honors which takes place outside the Church at the conclusion of the Funeral Liturgy.
Finally,
We do respectfully request a gift to the Presider of the Funeral Liturgy in the amount of $200.00. Should you choose to bequeath an additional gift to the Church, we would respectfully accept it in honor of your loved one.
Contact Information:
The Parish Office 559-642-3452
Kevin Jonas, Director Office of Worship
559-642-3452 or 213-910-7252
Shirley Waynar, Bereavement Ministry
559-658-7763
