Masses of Christian Burial

Dear Brother(s) and/or Sister(s) in Christ:
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 I would like to begin by extending my deepest sympathies at the passing of your loved one.  During this time, please know of my prayers for you and your family.   It is important to remember that even during this time of great sadness, death is not the end, it is a transformation we all experience from this life to the next, eternal life with our Lord.
 
This page of our website is designed to help you in the planning of the funeral Mass (Mass of Christian Burial) or Memorial Mass.  Take time to look over the readings in each section of this page and see which ones you feel are appropriate as we gather to pray for your loved one.  The First Reading should come from the Old Testament, while the Second Reading should come from the New Testament.  If the Mass is taking place between Easter Sunday and Pentecost (April 17, 2022- June 5, 2022) both readings will come from the New Testament.  The Gospel is chosen by the family, but proclaimed by the priest/deacon.
 
There is a Music Selection section as well with appropriate music for the Mass, and I kindly ask that the music selected comes from this selection.  Secular music, while sometimes can be a nice tribute, is not appropriate for a funeral Mass.
 
There is also a Bio Form Section at the very bottom of this webpage, if you could fill it out so that I have a reference to use when preparing my homily for your loved one it would be greatly appreciated.
 
Finally, in regards to Eulogies, here at St. Michael’s & St. Isidore's, we do not allow eulogies during the Mass.  The eulogy doesn’t have a formal place in the Mass, however it is not to say one cannot be given.  A more appropriate place for the eulogy would be at the funeral home, cemetery or breakfast/lunch following the funeral itself.  Many times someone thinks they will be able to give the eulogy but emotions the day of the funeral get the better of them, and that is certainly understandable.  If you have any questions about this we can certainly talk, but it is important that we adhere to this practice so that it can remain uniform for everyone.
 
Once again, please know of my prayers for you and your family and if there is anything I can do in the meantime please do not hesitate to contact me, 585-786-2400 ext. 202.
 
In Good Faith,
 Rev. Michael P. LaMarca
Pastor
Fees are handled directly through the Funeral Home.  If you are not working with a Funeral Home, please contact the parish office, (585)786-2400 to discuss the fees for the church.
Below are the links for the readings.  Take time to read through the readings and choose which best speaks to your loved one's life, death and now we praying sharing in Christ's victory over death.  Feel free to print the selected reading for whoever you choose as/a reader(s) at the Mass.  They WILL NOT need to bring the readings with them, a copy will already be provided in church for them to read. 
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Submitting your reading selection and listing who will be doing the reading is filled out below.
Please do not fill out information below until you have contacted the parish and have confirmed the date and time for the celebration.

    Mass of Christian Burial & Memorial Mass Planning Form

    Family Contact Information
    Deceased Loved One's Information
    Mass of Christian Burial/Memorial Mass Planning
    If there is a full body/casket in the church for the Mass, there are a couple of rites that are done when the family comes into the church.

    The first is the placing of the Funeral Pall.  The white garment that drapes the casket is a reminder of the Christian dignity that we took on at baptism and now we pray our loved one brings unstained into the hall of heaven.  For the family can either have 2 to 4 members drape the casket with the pall or have the funeral directors take on this responsibility.  The family is also invited to place a crucifix on the casket or near the urn as a sign of Christ's victory over death. 

    ​Additionally a rosary and the Book of the Gospels may be placed on the casket or near the urn if the family desires.  These are optional parts of the rite, but help demonstrate in a very real way the faith of the person who has been called home to the Lord.
    To select the readings for the Mass of Christian Burial/Memorial Mass, please review the readings in the links listed above.  Your selections should include one Old Testament Reading, one New Testament Reading and a Gospel selection.  You are also asked to list who you would like to do the reading. The priest/deacon always reads the Gospel.  *If you would like the church to provide a reader simply write in "Church Provide."  Once again the readings will be provided but you should share the reading with whoever is asked ahead of time so they can read it beforehand.  All participants in the Mass will be invited by the priest to come forward when it is their turn.  As long as they know their name, they'll know what to do and when.

    Please note that between Easter [April 17,2022] and Pentecost [June 5, 2022] both readings should come from the New Testament.  
    The General Intercessions are read following the homily.  These may be read by a family member, friend or by someone from the church.  A sample of the prayers can be seen below.  The actual prayers will be edited with the deceased's name.
    The gifts for the Liturgy of the Eucharist may be brought forward by 1-3 family members or friends.  The gifts of Bread and Wine are brought forward for the great sacrifice of the Mass.  *If no one is chosen, simply leave this space blank.
    To hear the music feel free to look of the song titles on YouTube or visit: https://ocp.org/en-us/catholic-songs​
    Please note that for music selections, all music used during the Mass should be church appropriate and come from the hymnal if possible for copyright purposes. 

    ​Secular music is not played in the church but may be played at the cemetery or at another time during a family gathering.

    Music is not played digitally during the Mass.
    Biography of Loved One
    Max file size: 20MB
    Max file size: 20MB
    Facebook Page: "Eastern Rural Roman Catholic Community of the Diocese of Buffalo" @ERRCCBuffalo