For followers of Jesus, the extraordinary gift of the Resurrection offers to all of us a view beyond the grave and so offers us HOPE that his Easter Life will be ours if we are faithful to him. Whenever we face the harsh reality of death this hope in the gift of everlasting life and love without end allows our tears to be transformed from tears of sadness to tears of healing and tears of joy. 

The Catholic funeral liturgies make present through many symbols and sacraments the promise of Life in its fullness beyond the grave. For millenia, Christians have gathered in prayer to not only remember the blessings of a life now ended, but to entrust their beloved dead into God's gracious hands. 

To any who must prepare for the funeral of a loved one and wish to do so with the Church family supporting them in sacrament and prayer, we welcome you to contact us as soon as possible to begin the process of preparing beautiful and hope-filled funeral liturgies for your loved one.

There usually at least three parts to the Catholic funeral liturgy:

• The Vigil held the night before the funeral Mass and burial. It is a farily brief Liturgy of the Word combined with special intercessions and prayers for the deceased and those who survive. Often it is also accompanied by the recitation of the Rosary and quite commonly, eulogies may be offered. The Vigil may take place in the home, in the funeal home, or in the church.. The Viigl may be celebrated by the parish deacon.
• The Funeral Mass is the heart of the funeral rites.
  • It begins in the church entryway with the blessing of the body with the holy water of Baptism, followed by the clothing of the casket or urn with the white pall (a large cloth) that also symbolizes baptism, and the placing of both a crucifix and the Book of the Gospels or a personal Bible atop the casket. 
  • The liturgy continues with the Liturgy of the Word, with Scripture readings usually chosen by the family, and a homily by the presiding priest or deacon.
  • The Liturgy of the Eucharist follows with the commemoration of the Lord's own death and his resurrection in this greatest prayer of the Church.
  • The final prayers of Commendation are prayed at the foot of the sanctuary in which the soul of the deceased is entrusted into God's fatherly care.
• Interment where the mortal remains will be laid to rest. Scripture is read, intercessions offered, the grave is blessed and the remains are commended to the dust of the earth from which they were created. This may also be celebrated by the deacon.

Grieving families often find it difficult to know where to begin when planning the funeral rites for their loved one.

Their first decision is to choose a funeral home to assist them in all aspects of the from initial care of the body to final commendation at the graveside. We generally do not make recommendations in this regard; in our experience all Spokane funeral homes offer excellent service to our grieving families. 

Please let us know as soon as possible of your loss. Father Kevin, our pastor, would be happy to visit with you in your home and pray with you if that would be consoling and supportive for you. 

Usually, the funeral director will then contact us to make plans for the funeral rites at the church, but sometimes the families in coordination with their funeral director take this step themselves. 

Father will guide you in choosing scripture readings for the fuenral liturgies, as well as lectors and Eucharistic Ministers. 

Ann Horobiowski, our parish Music Coordinator, will assist you in planning the music for the funeral Mass. 

Funerals cannot be held on Saturday afternoons and Sundays. We also prefer to avoid Monday funerals. 

Our social hall is available for rececptions, meals, or gatherings following the funeral services. We are not presently able to provide catering services.