We at St. Priscilla express our sympathy at the loss of your loved one. Our faith reminds us that our Lord is the God of all consolation! May our compassionate Lord be with you in a special way during this time of grief as we together commend the dead to God’s merciful love.

In preparing for a funeral, please contact the parish office for assistance as soon as possible. Mary Jo Lafer will assist with coordinating the arrangements, including scheduling a funeral date and time, arranging for the priest and musician, and coordinating a funeral luncheon if it is requested. Fr. Theo or another available priest normally meets with the family to answer questions and choose the readings and music for the liturgy. The Music Director, Jeanne Marie Laframboise, will provide music for the liturgy unless there is a special circumstance. The information provided here is intended to assist your family, especially those who may live out of town, but it is only a starting place and does not replace meeting with the parish staff.

The Vigil or Wake for the deceased is often celebrated the evening before the Funeral Liturgy and is a time for prayer and remembrances by family and friends. It is usually celebrated in the funeral home. The Vigil is the most opportune time for eulogies and sharing stories of the deceased. Parishioners are available to assist with the traditional prayers during the Vigil, which include the rosary or a scripture service.

The Funeral Liturgy is the central liturgical celebration of the Christian community for the deceased. A Funeral Mass may be celebrated with the body of the deceased present; the body may either be buried or cremated after the funeral Mass. Alternately, a Memorial Mass may be celebrated in the church either with or without cremated remains present. The liturgy remains the same except for blessing the body or cremated remains if they are present.

We celebrate the funeral liturgy as either a Mass (with distribution of Holy Communion) or a Funeral Liturgy outside Mass. Family members are encouraged to assist in the readings and song selection, and a brief eulogy may be shared. Fr. Theo will assist with these details when the family meets at the church for planning. The family may prepare a worship aid if desired.

The Rite of Committal is normally conducted immediately following the funeral liturgy. The rite consists of The Prayer over the Place of Committal, Committal, Lord’s Prayer and Prayer for the People. The rite usually takes about fifteen minutes. If the body is cremated, the Church’s expectation is that the cremated remains will be interred in the ground or in a columbarium (niche).

As a courtesy to our registered parishioners, St. Priscilla offers to host a funeral luncheon for the family. The luncheon is held in the parish hall immediately following the funeral liturgy (it may follow the committal if it is close by). The luncheon is supplied, prepared and served by the Funeral Luncheon Ministry volunteers and may be arranged through the parish office. A nominal donation is suggested to offset the cost and to assist the parish in continuing to offer this service.

Our practice at St. Priscilla is to welcome any Catholic who wishes to have a Catholic funeral liturgy (we do not require parish membership). A gift may be given to the priest and the musician. The parish also accepts memorial gifts in memory of the deceased.

Please contact the parish office at 248-476-4700 regarding any questions you may have. We hope this information is of assistance during your time of grief.