Funeral Preparation & Planning

If you have had a death in your family and need to make arrangements, please call the church office Mon-Fri, 9am-2pm, at 919.479.1001.  Please contact a local funeral home [LIST] at your earliest convenience.

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“In the face of death, the Church proclaims that God has created each person for eternal life and that Jesus, the Son of God, by his death and resurrection, has broken the chains of sin and death that bound humanity.”
- Vatican Council II.

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The principal Liturgies in the Order of Christian Funerals are:  (1) Vigil for the Deceased, (2) the Funeral Mass or Funeral Liturgy Outside Mass, and (3) the Rite of Committal.
 
1)        VIGIL –A priest, deacon, or a qualified lay minister may preside at the Vigil service. This is an appropriate time for family and friends to share memories of the deceased.
2)         FUNERAL MASS or Funeral Liturgy Outside Mass –The Church will supply a presider (priest/deacon), cantor, organist. Here are some things you may want to consider:

o    Scripture Readings – You may choose three readings (plus a Psalm which is part of the music selection). Follow this link to the USCCB website for selecting readings. [Funeral Readings]
o    Music – The Church will provide a cantor, an organist, and guidance for [Musical Selections].
                Psalm 23 - The Lord is my Shepherd
                Psalm 27 The Lord is my Light
                Psalm 103 The Lord is Kind
                Psalm 116 I will walk before the Lord
o    Reflection – A family member or close friend may offer a brief reflection during the funeral service (3-4 minutes). (The preferred time to share memories of the deceased is at the Vigil.)
o    Program – The Funeral Home generally provide a program.  
o    Family involvement - Some opportunities for friends/family to be involved in the liturgy are: readers (1-2 people), a reflection (1 person), pallbearers (2-6 people), extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, and the presentation of the gifts (2 people). The church can supply people for these roles if requested.

3)   RITE OF COMMITTAL – This is a short rite, about  10- minutes long. The presider may be a priest, deacon, or a qualified lay minister. The Rite takes place at the graveside prior to internment.
 
Donations: 
There is no charge for a Funeral Mass at St. Matthew. Families can make a voluntary contribution. Since the organist is paid $150 and cantor is paid $100 each, most families work with the funeral home to arrange payment directly to those individuals. Families generally make additional gifts to others (priest, deacon, lector, etc.) in the range of $100-$150 each. Should you desire to do so, checks should be made out to the individual. For any gift to the church, the check can be made out to "St. Matthew Catholic Church." 
 
If you have any questions, please contact the Pastor in the Parish Office at 919-479-1001.