Funeral Planning

GUARDIAN ANGELS • IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY • ST. JOHN FISHER

Honoring the Memory of Your Loved One

The St. Gregory the Great Family of Parishes extends our deepest condolences to you and your family during this time of loss. In our Family of Parishes, one of the ways that we live out our faith is in celebrating the joys of life together, as well as mourning together during times of great loss. As it states in Romans 12:15, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep”. Our Bereavement Ministers are ready to walk alongside you to guide you in the process of planning a funeral for your loved one.

Our Family of Parishes also have support groups available to accompany you in your day to day life. Click here to learn more about our variety of SGG Support Groups.

Overview of the Catholic Funeral Rites

The Catholic Rites in the Order of Christian Funerals primarily serve to provide families and communities guided opportunities to mourn, remember, and pray for the soul of a loved one. Through these prayers, we commend our beloved dead to God as they pass from this life into the next. These structured rituals are also reminders of the Catholic understanding of the immortality of the soul, the promise of everlasting life, and the hope of Eternal Resurrection in Christ.

The three distinct Catholic Rites serve to provide all due honor to the body and memory of your loved one:

Vigil and Visitation

The Vigil is time for family and members of the community to gather in prayer and support in remembrance of a precious life.

Funeral Liturgy

The Funeral Mass is the principle celebration of the Christian Funeral. Family and friends join to reaffirm that life has not ended and to pray for the soul of the deceased. It is the memorial of Christ’s sacrifice and it is a reminder that we are one with Christ in Life, Death, and Resurrection.

Committal

The Committal is the final farewell and good bye. It is the time of interment; the body is committed to its final resting place. Here, family and friends gather to take their final leave with the comfort and the promise of Everlasting Life in the Resurrection.

How to begin the planning process

The process of planning a funeral typically begins with the funeral home of your choosing. They will coordinate arrangements and scheduling with the church on your behalf. If no funeral home is chosen, please directly contact the parish office where you would like the funeral to be held to begin the process. See contact information below.

Once the parish office is notified by the funeral home or by you of the incoming funeral, a member of our bereavement team or a parish staff member will reach out to you to guide you through the planning of the funeral Mass (selecting music, readings, etc.). Please also be prepared to submit a profile photo for the funeral program.

Guardian Angels

Phone: (513) 231-7440

Email: office@gaparish.org

Office Hours
Monday – Friday:

8:30 am – 3:00 pm

Immaculate Heart of Mary

Phone: (513) 388-4466

Email: parish@ihom.org

Office Hours
Monday – Thursday

9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Friday: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm

St. John Fisher

Phone: (513) 561-9431

Email: angelm@sjfchurch.org

Office Hours
Monday – Thursday: 8:30 am – 4:00 pm
Friday: Closed

Advanced Funeral Planning

The thought of planning our own funeral may feel overwhelming. However, pre-planning your funeral can be a gift to your loved ones by helping alleviate added stress and decision making during grief. It is also an opportunity to ensure your wishes will be honored and carried out.

To pre-plan a funeral, please contact the parish office where you would like the funeral to be held.

Funeral Planning Resources

A member of our bereavement team will meet with you to confirm your choices and/or to assist you in making reading and music selections for the funeral. You do not have to be prepared with confirmed reading and music selections before your funeral planning meeting. However, the below resources can serve as a useful reference of the options.

Before selecting your readings, it is recommended that you first make contact with the parish office where the funeral will be located for guidance.

Reading Selection Options

Overview: The first resource compiles the suggested readings from the Order of Christian Funerals. These reading options are common among Guardian Angels (GA), Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM), and St. John Fisher (SJF). Please note, although the Gospel reading options are included in this pdf, it is customary at Guardian Angels for the priest celebrant to select the Gospel reading on behalf of the family, thus GA parishioners do not need to select a Gospel reading.

The two pdfs of additional first and second reading options for GA and IHM compile readings that are not found in the Order of Christian Funerals but are popular choices for funeral readings among the GA and IHM communities respectively. You are welcome to source your readings from any of the lists available.

Music Selection Options

Music options differ between locations. Please refer to the music options at the location where the funeral will take place.