Preplanning a Catholic Funeral
Planear un funeral no es fácil. When you die, your loved ones will face many questions and decisions, and they’ll have to work through that process while managing their grief. This is why we recommend planning your funeral in advance, when you have more time and a clear head to decide what you want for yourself.
Advanced planning is especially important for Catholic funerals, particularly if your other family members are not as devout or involved with the church. When you plan ahead, you make sure the important traditions are honored, while relieving your loved ones the future burden of deciding what to do.
Lo que necesitas para planear un funeral
To make planning simpler, we have specialists on our team who will sit down with you to ask you some questions and make all of your arrangements in advance. We can do that at your home, at our funeral home, or another location if you prefer.In general, you will want to decide:
- Whether you wish to be buried or cremated.
- Where your remains will be buried or entombed.
- What Catholic funeral services you wish to be observed.
- What style of casket or urn you would like.
- Which scriptures and hymns you would prefer.
- What clothes you prefer to be dressed in.
It’s also best to specify which priest or deacon you wish to perform your funeral rites, or at least what church parish you are part of. If you are not a member of any local church parishes, you are still entitled to a Catholic funeral as long as you’ve been baptized in the Catholic church. If you don’t have a specific church named in your funeral plan, we can still help your family find a priest or deacon in Denver when the time comes.
As you prepare to speak with the funeral director about your plans, you might also want to check in with your close family and friends to talk about what you’re doing. Let them know that you’re making your arrangements in advance so they know who to contact if anything happens to you.
¿Qué constituye un funeral Católico?
When you tell your family that you want a Catholic funeral, it’s a good idea to be specific about what you mean. At minimum, a Catholic funeral means your body or cremated remains will be present at a liturgical service performed by a priest or deacon.
This service can take place at the church or another location. However, your funeral must take place at the Catholic church for you to receive the full funeral mass, also called the Mass of Christian Burial. If the funeral occurs in a different location, you will still receive Catholic funeral liturgy, but there will not be a formal mass.
There are several other elements that might also come to mind when you think of a Catholic funeral:
- A vigil which may be held at the funeral home or the home of the person who died.
- Recitation of the rosary, led by a church member or family member.
- A wake or velorio where people can visit with the body and say goodbye.
- The rite of committal at the time of burial or interment of ashes.
You’ll want to be specific about your wishes when planning. Otherwise, your family may not know what to do, or they may feel the stress of uncertainty when debating what you would have wanted.
If you’re not sure which elements of the funeral are most important or need help making a decision, you can speak with a clergyman from your church. Or you can ask the funeral director for advice when you meet with us to preplan.
We work closely with many Catholic churches throughout Denver and can help you to understand your options so you can get exactly what you want and put those plans in writing. Then you can relax knowing that todos los detalles have been taken care of.
Go en paz.
As members of Denver’s Hispanic communities, we feel a deep responsibility to help its families through some of their most difficult days. We are here for you and your loved ones, and our staff is available to answer any questions you may have.
Llámanos al (303) 996-0701.
