Christian Burial

Overview
Planning the Funeral Liturgy and Burial
Evening Funerals
Morning Funerals
Frequently Asked Questions About Funeral Liturgies and Christian Burial
   Is a vigil service necessary?
   Can Catholics be cremated?
   Can Catholics donate all or parts of their body to medical science?
   Must the coffin be open during the visitation?
   Can Catholics be buried in a non-Catholic cemetery?
   Can non-Catholics be buried in a family plot in a Catholic cemetery?
   How much money should be spent on Christian burial?
   Are there any restrictions on when a funeral liturgy can be held?
   Does the funeral liturgy need to be a Mass with Communion?
   Is it better for people to send flowers or donations?
Parish Cemetery

Overview

The Catholic Church teaches that death is not an end of life but a change. In the burial of a Christian, family and friends celebrate the faith of a deceased person and Christ's victory over death and suffering. Christian burial is a time for family and friends to console each other with the healing words of Christ and the liturgy of the Church.

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Planning the Funeral Liturgy and Burial

When someone dies, please call the parish office to make plans for the burial. Personal contact with family members is the most desirable way for parish staff to help the family plan for the burial. The pastor (deacon) and liturgist/musician will meet with the family and discuss suitable readings and music for the funeral liturgy.

The liturgy may be held at either St. Francis Borgia-North (the larger church) or historic St. Francis Borgia-South.

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Evening Funerals – In most cases, the funeral takes place in the evening so more people may attend. The body is brought to church in the late afternoon for visitation by family and friends of the deceased. The Mass of Christian Burial is celebrated that evening. Upon completion of the liturgy, the body is returned to the funeral home (for burial the next morning). Immediately following the funeral Mass, family and friends can share time and refreshments in the parish hall (if it is available). Prayers for the burial of the body are ordinarily led by a priest or deacon at the cemetery the next morning.

Morning Funerals – When a morning funeral is chosen, the body is viewed at the funeral home for a number of hours the night before the funeral. A parish vigil will be arranged during the hours of visitation. A priest or deacon usually leads the vigil service. The Mass of Christian Burial is celebrated the following morning. Usually, burial in the cemetery follows immediately. A final blessing and prayers at the cemetery ordinarily will be performed by a priest or deacon. Family and friends can then share time and refreshments in the parish hall (if it is available).

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Frequently Asked Questions About Funeral Liturgies and Christian Burial

Is a vigil service necessary?
A vigil service is customary on the night before a morning funeral, but it is not absolutely necessary.

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Can Catholics be cremated?
Yes. The prohibition against cremation no longer exists, since cremation no longer symbolizes a denial of bodily resurrection. In many cases, cremation may be the most affordable type of burial. Ordinarily a funeral liturgy will be celebrated with the body present before cremation. In the event that the body cannot be present, a Memorial Mass for the deceased may be celebrated with the family.

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Can Catholics donate all or parts of their body to medical science?
Yes. Donor cards can be obtained from any hospital. Ordinarily a funeral liturgy will be celebrated with the body present before donation of the body to medical science. In the event that the body cannot be present, a Memorial Mass for the deceased may be celebrated with the family.

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Must the coffin be open during the visitation?
The coffin may be in state opened or closed. While the decision is totally up to the relatives, please remember that many who are grieving need to "see" the deceased in order to bring a sense of closure. This can be especially important when the death was sudden. If there was a prolonged period of suffering before death, and the family determines the casket should be closed, a photograph of the deceased may be displayed.

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Can Catholics be buried in a non-Catholic cemetery?
Yes.

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Can non-Catholics be buried in a family plot in a Catholic cemetery?
Yes.

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How much money should be spent on Christian burial?
From a Christian point of view, excessive amounts of money need not be spent on the dead. Christian faith is in the resurrected body. What money is saved may be given to the poor and others in need, or used for works of charity.

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Are there any restrictions on when a funeral liturgy can be held?
The Mass of Christian Burial may be celebrated on all days except Sundays, Holy Days and the last three days of Holy Week (the Paschal Triduum). This is stated in the Guidelines for Christian Burial issued for the Archdiocese of Milwaukee (2/15/79) and based on the general liturgical law of the Church.

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Does the funeral liturgy need to be a Mass with Communion?
When a Catholic dies and the remaining members of the family belong to another denomination, the Catholic funeral liturgy may be celebrated without Mass and Communion. This form of the funeral liturgy may be most fitting in circumstances where very few of the relatives and friends of the deceased are active in the Catholic community.

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Is it better for people to send flowers or donations?
Flowers may be sent to share grief. In place of flowers, it is suggested that donations be made to the poor, to charities or to medical research.

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Parish Cemetery

The Catholic Cemetery serves as a symbol of the extended community of believers, a community unbroken by death. It stands as a reminder of the need to prepare throughout our lives here on earth for that life which is to come and which will be lived with God forever.

The St. Francis Borgia Parish Cemetery is located in Mequon, Wisconsin, on Pioneer Road (Hwy C), one-quarter mile west of Wauwatosa Road.

If you have any questions about our parish cemetery, please contact the cemetery administrator in the parish office.

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