If you have recently been bereaved and need to arrange the funeral of someone who was a Catholic in life, then it can be a little overwhelming, especially if you are not of the Catholic faith and unfamiliar with the usual way of doing things. This is one of the reasons why it may be beneficial to turn to a professional funeral planning service provider that deals with a range of different religious funeral arrangements week in, week out. In particular, this is a good idea if you happen to be outside of the UK at the moment and need someone closer by to make some of the arrangements on your behalf. Read on to find out what to do when planning a funeral that will include a Catholic mass.
Register the Death
To begin with, you need to inform the registrar’s office of the death. To do this, you’ll need to take the medical certificate that’s been issued to the registry office within five days. If not, you must make alternative arrangements for someone to do this on your behalf.
Check for Funeral Plans or Insurance
Next, check to see whether there is a pre-existing plan. According to Newrest Funerals, a firm that provides pre-plan funeral advice in the UK, more people than ever before haven’t just left their last wishes behind but have also paid for their funeral already. Catholic funerals can be more costly than other types so it would be no surprise that the deceased might have settled the bills already. If not, they may have an insurance plan that might cover some of the costs instead.
Choose Funeral Directors
Appoint a firm of funeral directors in the locality who can keep the deceased until the funeral. Some Catholics will specify they want to be buried with rosary beads and in smart attire. As such, it is worth finding a firm that has handled Catholic funerals before, especially if you want traditional elements, such as a horse-drawn hearse or an open casket, for example.
Contact the Priest
The mass that will be read will usually be undertaken by the priest at the church where the deceased worshipped. Often, a phone call to the priest will be enough to get the ball rolling with the funeral service itself. You will be asked if there are any particular passages from the Bible you’d like to feature as well as which hymns might be sung.
Book a Burial or a Cremation
Most Catholics are buried but this is not universal. Therefore, if you’d prefer to take the body to a crematorium after the mass, you can make these arrangements. Nevertheless, an interment – with or without a graveside committal – is more common. Churchyards and council-run cemeteries are both suitable for this purpose.
Notify Mourners
Finally, let people know when the funeral has been arranged so that they can make travel arrangements to attend. Many Catholic funerals are followed by a wake so you should also consider planning one of these if you want a traditional funeral.
