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Please make initial contact with the funeral home, and they will help to coordinate arrangements with the parish.
Pastoral letter on funerals in the Catholic Tradition - That We May Have Hope
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The Order of Christian Funerals of the Roman liturgy gives three types of funeral celebrations, corresponding to the three places in which they can be conducted (the home, the church and the cemetery) and according to the importance attached to them by the family, local customs, the culture, and popular piety.
- Funeral Mass
- Funeral Liturgy outside Mass
- Christian Burial (Rite of Committal)
The different funeral rites express the Paschal character of Christian death and are in keeping with the situations and traditions of each region, even as to the color of the liturgical vestments worn.
The Christian funeral confers on the deceased neither a sacrament nor a sacramental since he has "passed" beyond the sacramental economy. It is nonetheless a liturgical celebration of the Church. The ministry of the Church aims at expressing efficacious communion with the deceased, at the participation in that communion of the community gathered for the funeral and at the proclamation of eternal life to the community. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1684)
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Even when the death of a loved one is not imminent, it is advisable to begin planning for a funeral and burial. Please call the parish office to begin the process.
Contact: Mary Brown
Phone: 217- 6740 (parish office)
Funeral Homes serving the greater Bangor region:
Brookings-Smith:
Phone: (207) 942-8815
133 Center Street, Bangor, ME
Greenlawn:
Phone: (207) 947-7870
300 State Street, Bangor, ME
Hampden Gilpatrick:
Phone: (207) 862-3660
45 Western Avenue, Hampden
Kiley & Foley:
Phone: (207) 989-3311
69 State Street, Brewer, ME
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Time: Generally, funeral Masses in our parish our held on weekdays at 11:00 a.m. Exceptions can be made depending on circumstances.
Cost: For families of limited means there is no charge for a funeral liturgy. For others, Information on recommended donations is available at the parish office. Usually these donations are mediated through the chosen funeral home.
The Choice of Cremation: Burial or interment has been the constant practice of the Church, a sign of her reverence for the human body and belief in the Resurrection on the Last Day. As Christ's body was interred, so too does the Church bury/inter the deceased. The Church strongly encourages its members to continue this venerable practice and avoid cremation. When the choice has been made to cremate a body, it is recommended that the cremation take place after the Funeral Liturgy. Exceptions can be made in case of financial need. (See Pastoral Letter on Funerals for more information.)
Receptions: Can be held in any of our church halls. Costs vary according to circumstances.
Family Participation: Family members may read the Scriptures at Mass and also offer "Words of Remembrance" at the end of the Mass. Families are always asked to respect Church guidelines for the proper celebration of a Funeral Liturgy.
Music: Our Music Directors accept requests for specific songs and music for funeral Masses. There is a limit to the number of songs possible. We are bound by the guidelines for Sacred Music in the liturgy. That is, music must be sacred in nature and not from "secular" genre.
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