As a Catholic Parish, Our Lady of the Mountains wants to support your family when a loved one has died by offering a Mass of Christian Burial where we gather to offer worship, praise and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has now been returned to God, the author of life and the hope of the just.
 
We will help you arrange a date and time for the service, select music and readings, and prepare in other ways for the celebration of Mass. 

The Order of Christian Funerals’ Appendix on Cremation states: “Although cremation is now permitted by the Church, it does not enjoy the same value as burial of the body. The Church clearly prefers and urges that the body of the deceased be present for the funeral rites, since the presence of the human body better expresses the values which the Church affirms in those rites” (no. 413).

Can cremated remains be present for a Funeral Mass?

That is up to the priest who is celebrating the Funeral Mass. Some priests do not allow cremated remains to be present, because family members have divided the cremated remains amongst themselves, or made jewelry out of the remains, or intend to scatter the remains or intend to never bury the deceased. If the cremated remains are present for the Mass, the pall (cloth that is placed over the casket as a reminder of the baptismal garment) won’t be placed on the remains. Also, some of the wording in the Order of Christian Funerals (ritual text for a Funeral) is changed because the body is not present.

We allow Eulogies after the communion prayer. In keeping with the dignity of the Funeral Mass we ask that if you are including a eulogy after the prayer after Communion, please have one family member or friend share a three to five-minute description of the life of the deceased before the priest concludes with the final commendation. 

The Mass is planned to incorporate as much as we can the wishes of the families of the deceased and provide opportunity for loved ones to honor and reflect on the life of their beloved ones. We offer simple receptions that follow the funeral liturgy. You may also choose to plan the details of the funeral before a death has occurred. May God of all consolations bring peace to your heart. Amen. 

For all funeral inquiries, please call the parish office at (970) 586-8111.