Funerals
The death of someone you love is always traumatic. But even in your darkest moments, you need not fear, for God is with you. He is close to you.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled", Jesus says. "Trust in God still and trust in me. There are many rooms in my Father’s house."
This is the wonderful promise of Jesus – that he has prepared a place for those who love him.
The priests of the parish will be glad to discuss with you any aspect of the Funeral Liturgy. We will assist you in the preparation of the Funeral Liturgy – readings from Scripture, Prayers of the Faithful, Offertory Procession, Sacred Music, etc. It is our wish that the Liturgy will be a time of prayer for your loved one and of consolation and hope for you. In the course of the Funeral Liturgy, we try to let God’s word speak to the hearts, so that we all might hear and be comforted by the Christian message.
...that life is changed, not ended; when the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death, we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven
(Preface for the Dead 1)
www.requiem.ie is a useful website to help families prepare the funeral liturgy.
THE FUNERAL RITE
The funeral has three principal stages or moments: the vigil and reception of the body at the Church; the central funeral liturgy, which normally includes Mass; and the rite of committal.
DIRECTIVES OF THE DIOCESE OF MEATH FOR FUNERAL MASSES
Eulogies are not to be part of the Funeral Mass. These can take place in the Funeral Home or in the Cemetery, after the burial.
Readings at the Funeral Mass must be taken from the Lectionary and music must be appropriate. Songs, poems and texts devoid of a Christian content are out of place.
A post-Communion reflection of a prayerful nature can serve to enhance the Liturgy.
Expressions of thanks to those who supported or cared for the deceased can be included in the Prayers of the Faithful.
CEMETERY
There is no pre-booking of plots in the parish cemetery.
Plots are sold in sequence, (a family receives the next plot in line)
Plots are only sold to people living in the parish.
Double plots are 10 feet long and must be between 7¼ and 7½ feet wide in total. i.e. the outer limit for grave side kerbs must not exceed 7½ feet. In the case of single plots the grave side kerbs must not be more than 3¾ feet in width.
Those erecting cemetery monuments must take good care not to damage any other plots in the cemetery. They should also ensure that they remove pieces of stone or cement etc from the cemetery when completing their work.
All monumental workers should contact the Parish Office before commencement of work.
Any monument erected or any work carried out on a monument may only be done by people who have produced proof of insurance