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Dear Friends,
May the peace of Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the consolation of the Holy Spirit be with you. The parish of Saint Albert the Great is dedicated to ministering to those in our community who are experiencing the death of a loved one and to the family members of our parishioners who have died. With the help of your funeral director we hope to bring you comfort and some peace at this difficult time.
Please read through this letter and these guidelines before making any decisions about funeral and burial plans for your loved one. Again, our sympathies and prayers are with you. We are privileged to offer you the love of God in the name of Jesus our Compassionate Lord.
When you are ready to begin planning the funeral for a deceased loved one, please visit the Funeral Readings page and the Funeral Planning Form page to get started. -
Funeral Planning and Guidelines
The Catholic Church celebrates the death of the Christian Faithful at three “moments”.
- The first moment is the wake or visitation typically held at the funeral home. During this time a minister of the Church will assist the family and friends in praying the “Vigil for the Deceased”.
- The second moment is the funeral service itself. This service or liturgy can be a traditional Mass of Christian Burial at the church, a Service of the Word either at the funeral home or in some circumstances at St. Albert church. It is expected that a practicing Catholic would be buried within the context of the celebration of Mass at church.
- The final moment in the prayers for the dead is the Committal Service at the place of burial or entombment. All Catholics must be buried or entombed.
Cremation of the body prior to burial is acceptable for Catholic Christians. If you are planning a cremation, it is recommended that cremation take place after the funeral services prior to burial. If the choice is made to cremate the body before the funeral, it is permitted to bring the cremains to church for the Funeral Mass, in fact, the Church has provided special prayers for those whose bodies have been cremated.
Nonetheless, the cremated remains (popularly referred to as “ashes” or “cremains”) are still human remains and are owed the respect and dignity due our Christian bodies. Therefore, cremains are never to be discarded in public places, separated into smaller portions and dispersed, kept in the family home, or even buried in private or public places that are not a cemetery. Christians are to treat “cremains” in exactly the same way that our deceased bodies are treated.
Funeral Liturgies for deceased loved ones are very important moments in the lives of believers. The participation of the loved ones in the planning and the celebration of the funeral are welcome. Below is a Funeral Liturgy Planning Form which includes suggestions of music and bible passages for your assistance in planning. Please take the time to complete the Planning Form and submit it at least 48 hours prior to the funeral.
Eulogies or Words of Remembrance are encouraged during the wake/visitation at the funeral home, at the place of committal/burial, or at the funeral luncheon. However, the guidelines of the Diocese of Cleveland do permit one person to make a remarks of no longer than five minutes in length and those remarks must be written and submitted to the priest presiding at the funeral service prior to mass. At Saint Albert our preference is that those remarks would be made following the reception of the body at church and prior to the opening prayer.
Funeral Lunches are offered to the bereaved at Saint Albert Parish Hall and can be arranged through your funeral director. There is a standard and limited menu which is offered to all families. There is no cost for this service.
Mass Offerings are welcome at Saint Albert, but only two Masses per year per person may be scheduled. Monetary offering to our Saint Albert the Great Memorial Fund are welcome. This fund provides for the liturgical and bereavement ministries of our parish. Those remembered are listed in our memorial book and prayed for regularly at parish Masses. Envelopes are available from your funeral director.
There are no “fees” for the services of Saint Albert the Great Parish at the time of death and burial. Any offering that you would like to make is welcome. The actual cost that the parish incurs in addition to the luncheon expense is $125 for the musicians. We are often asked about the “typical offering” for the church or the priest. While none is required, an average offering is $125-$250.
Once again, God bless you at this difficult time.
Sincerely yours in our Compassionate Lord,
The Parish Ministry of St. Albert the Great -
Please click here to visit our Bereavement Support Ministry page.