It’s the phone call or message you never want to receive: The love of your life suddenly and unexpectedly passed away. While dealing with the immense grief, you also have to figure out who you’re supposed to call first and when – or if – you need to call a funeral home. And if you and your spouse are Catholic? You might also feel extra pressure to ensure the funeral is a fitting tribute that properly honors their faith.
Here are five essential tips to help you through this process:
1. Familiarize Yourself with Catholic Funeral Traditions, Services
Just because you’ve attended a Catholic funeral doesn’t mean you know everything it entails in terms of planning for it. For example, you’ll need to choose between a funeral Mass or a funeral service and whether to have a wake or a visitation.
2. Consult with Your Parish Priest
Your parish priest should provide guidance and support by helping you plan the funeral to ensure all the liturgical requirements are met. Your priest can also assist with preparing the homily, selecting hymns, and preparing the liturgy.
3. Does the Funeral Home Respects Your Faith?
Look for a funeral home that has experience with Catholic funeral services to help you navigate the process. Ideally, they can advise you on how to honor your spouse during the funeral properly and ensure everything goes smoothly.
4. Decide on the Right Final Resting Place
Your spouse’s final resting place is a significant decision. If you’re looking for cemetery companies in San Pablo or other local communities, check to see if any has a designated area for Catholic burials and offers a range of options for memorialization.
5. Gather the Right Personal Items and Keepsakes
Did your husband always cherish that one particular rosary? Make sure you consider what personal items or keepsakes you want present during the funeral. This could be your spouse’s rosary, a special piece of jewelry, a photo, or any other item that holds meaning for you.
Planning a Catholic funeral for your spouse is already overwhelming. Now times that by one thousand if your spouse passed away unexpectedly. However, resources are available through your church and from funeral homes that will help lessen the burden.
To learn more about St. Joseph Cemetery & Funeral Center, contact them today.