"At the death of a Christian, whose life of faith was begun in the waters of Baptism and strengthened at the Eucharistic table, the Church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end, nor does it break the bonds forged in life. The Church also ministers to the sorrowing and consoles them in the funeral rites with the comforting Word of God and the Sacrament of the Eucharist." (Order of Funerals, 4)

The Funeral Rites join us together in:

• Praising and thanking God for his victory over sin and death,

• Commending our loved one to the mercy and compassion of God, and

• Receiving consolation in our grief through the power of the sacrifice.

At St. Theodore, normally your funeral director will assist you in coordinating the date and time of the funeral Mass, interment, and luncheon with the parish. Please contact the funeral home first and they will help you take the first steps in planning the funeral. We have strong working relationships with all the local funeral homes, so please have the funeral home of your choice contact us once you’ve spoken with them.

The funeral homes provide comfortable visitation spaces for greeting family and friends. They also provide valuable assistance with writing and placement of obituaries in local newspapers, ordering death certificates, easels for pictures and memory displays, guest books, prayer cards, and programs. We encourage families to take advantage of the resources that are offered by the funeral home.

Once the date and time are finalized, the parish will be in contact to discuss your requests for the
funeral liturgy readings, music, and participants.