Funerals

Scheduling and Planning a Catholic Funeral

When a death occurs in your family, please contact Spirit of life and the funeral home of  your choice to make funeral arrangements.

The Funeral Coordinator will work with you and the funeral home in selecting the date and time of the funeral and vigil service.

He will assist you in choosing scripture readings, music and planning the funeral luncheon.

Call the Parish Office at 701-663-1660 or email office@myspiritoflife.com to arrange a meeting with the Church Funeral Coordinator.

In your time of grief, we wish to offer you the consolation of hope in the Resurrection of Jesus and we will do all in our power to ensure that your beloved is fittingly commended to the loving mercy of Christ.

What is the Purpose of the Catholic Funeral Liturgy and Burial?:

          Burial is a way we show respect for the body of our deceased loved one and, for us Christians, it demonstrates our faith and hope in eternal life and the resurrrection of the body that is to come. The Catholic Funeral Liturgy celebrates the paschal mystery (the death and resurrection of Christ) and, in it, we seek to unite ourselves and our beloved with Christ so that we all may pass from death to life in Him and be welcomed into the communion of saints in heaven. It is important to understand that the Catholic Funeral Rite is not simply a way to honor the memories of the deceased. Rather, it is a chance for us to commend the dead to the mercy of God and express our hope in the resurrection.

     When we enter into any Liturgy, we participate in something that is bigger than just us. The Catholic Liturgy is at once private and communal, particular and universal. Uniting our individiual intentions with the larger intentions of the universal Church in liturgy results in healing, understanding, and transformation within us. The Funeral Liturgy is designed specifically to help all gathered to understand and accept the will of God for their beloved deceased. By offering a funeral liturgy for one who has died, we pray that our lives may be transformed by our faith in the Resurrection and that the transformation in our souls may also be shared by the deceased as they come face to face with God at their own particular judgement.

     The guidelines provided for the selection of readings and music as well as for the other aspects of the Funeral Liturgy help you to remain true to the funeral liturgy’s intrinsic and universal purpose. The options for readings and music are thoughtfully and intentionally provided so as to be able capture the diversity of human expression while still being true to the universal nature of the Liturgy.

Below are the guidelines in accordance with the Catholic Diocese of Bismarck for funerals at Spirit of Life:

Presence of the Body at the Funeral Liturgy:

     It is preferred by the Church that the remains be kept in bodily form at all funeral rites, including burial. If the deceased has been cremated, the following applies regarding respect for Cremated Remains of the Body: “The cremated remains of a body should be treated with the same respect given to the human body from which they come. This includes the use of a worthy vessel to contain the ashes, the manner in which they are carried, the care and attention to appropriate placement and transport, and the final disposition. The cremated remains should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium.” If the body is cremated, all the cremated remains must be interred in a timely fashion. In part or as a whole they may never be scattered nor should they be incorporated into jewelry or art. A priest or deacon should accompany the remains to the cemetery and perform the prescribed liturgical rites.

Audio-visual Presentations:

     Audio-visual presentations are not permitted immediately prior to or during funeral liturgies. They may be presented at the Vigil Service.

Eulogies:

     Eulogies are not a part of the Funeral Liturgy. They may be given at the vigil or the luncheon.

Readings:

     Scripture readings for Spirit of Life Funerals  are selected from the book, Through Death to Life. You may have one or two lectors for the Old and New Testament readings. The Responsorial Psalm is usually sung by the cantor.

Preparation of Gifts:

     The Family may chose 2-4 people to carry up the bread and wine at the Procession of Gifts.

Funeral Lunch:

     Spirit of Life provides a lunch at no cost following the funeral or burial. We can accommodate up to 200 people. If you have family or friends who wish to bring food as well, it is much appreciated. If you are planning on bringing food please let the office know so we can account for it when we are preparing for the lunch. 

Fees:

     We provide all funeral services free of charge. Donations to the church, priest, cantor, servers, etc. can be made at the discretion of the family.

For more funeral information contact: the Parish Office at 663-1660, or email office@myspiritoflife.com.

Funeral Readings

Music Suggestions 

“Pre-Planning” Your Funeral Mass Celebration

A wonderful gift to your family is pre-planning the liturgy for your funeral celebration. When a loved one dies, a family is forced to make many decisions in only a few days. You can plan now and work with the church staff to choose scripture, music and other parts of the service that are special to you. This information will be kept on file at the church as well as the funeral home of your choice until the necessary time. For more information, please contact the Parish Office at 663-1660 or email office@myspiritoflife.com.