Funerals
SEE ALSO: Columbarium & Memorial Wall brochure
Frequently Asked Questions about funerals at Our Lady Queen of Apostles Church, Stafford.
- Where can I get information to plan my or my loved ones funeral?
An excellent resource is "Life is Changed Not Ended – A Workbook for preparing a Catholic Funeral" 2nd Edition, Edited by Tom Elich. The Liturgical Commission (now "Liturgy Brisbane") – the book can be purchased from Liturgy Brisbane, The Catholic Centre 143 Edward St, Brisbane. Ph 07 3336 9444 Fax: 07 3221 1705 email: liturgy@liturgybrisbane.net.au or can be purchased online at www.liturgybrisbane.net.au. You can also purchase it from our Religious Goods Store at the Parish Church before or after weekend Mass. - Am I able to have a Catholic Funeral with a Cremation?
Yes. There are alternative texts in the Rite for Burial and for Cremation. - Do I have to have a Mass?
No. Often, the majority of the congregation may not be Catholic or may not be familiar with the responses and rituals of the Mass and the alternative (not “second best”) Rite may be preferable so that all present can be more fully involved. - If I don't have a Mass for some reason, can a Mass be celebrated at another time?
Yes – we usually schedule it at one of the Weekday Masses which has a congregation of Parishioners to give you support with responses etc. (See "Intro to Order of Christian Funerals" para 46 and 178) - Can I show a PowerPoint or Video about my deceased loved one?
The Funeral Rites are the prayer of the believing community and so involve active participation. When we have videos or PowerPoints, the people tend to become passive spectators and prayer is no longer happening. To avoid this and provide a compromise, a Video or PowerPoint can be shown BEFORE the actual Funeral Liturgy begins. - Do I have to have a Eulogy?
No it is not necessary. The Liturgy will still refer to the deceased and usually, the Presider will also make reference to aspects of their life in his homily. - How long should the Eulogy go?
We don't have "eulogies" as such in our Catholic Liturgy, but have "Words of Remembrance". If we do have "Words of Remembrance", it should be concise. Rather than have more than one person speaking, we encourage the family to get together to pool ideas for one speaker. A Vigil or even the social get-together after the committal are excellent times to tell stories, show videos, play favourite music etc. - What is the procedure for arranging a funeral after my loved one dies?
First: there is no hurry – the family can take as long as they need to grieve and "accept" their loved one's death. (Compromise will be needed as everybody grieves differently).
Contact your favoured Funeral Director and your Parish Office: the Funeral Director and the Parish are responsible for different things.
We recommend talking to your Parish first to ascertain what sort of Funeral Liturgy you would like and would be most appropriate considering all your circumstances.
If you do see your Funeral Director first, we ask that the form of the Funeral not be finalised until you have talked to the Parish. (As you see from the other information on this site, there are many options). - Will the parish celebrate a funeral at a graveside or in a Cemetery Chapel?
Yes, especially if it is pastorally the most appropriate for the family. - I am a Catholic but my husband/wife/son/daughter/mother/father is not – can I have a Catholic Priest to preside at the funeral?
Normally Yes. - My family has a Priest-friend in a different parish. Can he lead our funeral in Stafford Parish?
Certainly! However, the family will need to discuss with him the sort of Funeral Liturgy you wish to celebrate and the various options you wish to choose.
