By Tamara Titsworth
Pastoral Care Director
My father died suddenly, six years ago at the age of 52. Unfortunately, he had never talked about his funeral planning wishes. This forced me to make many big decisions in a short amount of time. I remember the feeling of being plunged into finding a funeral home,
coordinating a memorial, writing an obituary, closing his bank accounts, cleaning out his work locker, and much more. Everything had to be done in only one week. I felt rushed to plan his memorial service on top of all of my other responsibilities and the crushing stress of my growing to-do list didn’t allow me time to process or begin to grieve such a major loss.
When we grieve, our brains do not function the same and a simple task like choosing a reading can be extremely overwhelming. Funeral planning can be especially daunting for loved ones who are not Catholic or no longer practice their faith. I see many children of deceased parents feel burdened when trying to plan a liturgy that reflects their parent’s devotion to the Catholic
faith.
The Funeral Mass is a beautiful liturgy where we remember God’s great promise of salvation and Christ’s loving sacrifice. We are reminded of the great gift of the Catholic faith, the Communion of Saints, and His unconditional mercy. A well-planned Funeral Mass with thoughtful scripture and prayerful music can be a moment of self-reflection and deep conversion in your loved ones’ relationship with God.
Perhaps you have already made arrangements with a funeral home or purchased a burial plot, but were you aware that you can do the same when it comes to planning your Funeral Mass? Pre-selecting a few scripture readings and songs can greatly reduce the stress put on
loved ones who are planning your funeral. I would like to invite you to meet with me and learn
more about the process of pre-planning your Funeral at St. Mark’s including: readings, music, information about general costs, and luncheon options. If you have questions
about what a funeral home does, what the church provides, what aspects of the liturgy your family will be asked to plan, how much it costs to have a Funeral Mass, or any other questions please contact me at 651-645-5717 ext. 2102 or ttitsworth@onestrongfamily.org to schedule an appointment.