PARISH FUNERAL MINISTRY TEAM

The Funeral Ministry Team was set up in June 2013

In response to a request for volunteers six people offered their services.

The aims of the Team:

• To attend funerals in order to be a support to the bereaved
• To help them feel welcome and at home in the church
• To assist the bereaved through their participation in the funeral liturgy e.g. Readings, Prayers of the faithful, presentation of symbols.

As is required by all volunteers, members were required to subject themselves to Garda Vetting.

Two members of the team are on duty a month, on a rota basis.

St Fintans Parish has prepared a very useful information ‘Pack “Preparing for the Christian Funeral” It contains a selection of Readings, Prayers of the Faithful, and suitable hymns. This is made available to the bereaved family to help in preparing the funeral liturgy with the priest.

Some members have attended sessions put on by the Archdiocese for Funeral Ministry Teams. These have been very well attended by volunteers from many parishes.

We were given extracts from the “The order of Christian Funerals” regarding Selection of readings, appropriate music/hymns, Prayers of the faithful.

We were also offered sample prayer services for:-

• praying in the home or funeral parlour
• Funeral services
• Final Commendations and Farewell.

There are various levels of participation in Funerals by members of Funeral Ministry Teams.

• Some, with the priest meet with the families to plan the funeral mass, and to offer support and sympathy.
• Be with the family to pray before the removal
• Recite the prayers at the grave side/crematorium

Our team members attend the Funeral Mass to be of assistance to the bereaved, in whatever way this is needed, mainly by reassuring them, and accompanying them to the lectern for the readings, and prayers of the faithful.

Funerals vary a great deal.

As removals on the eve of funeral Masses, are becoming rare, we experience difficulty in meeting with family members beforehand. We need to let them know of our presence, and to ensure that the readers, and those saying the prayers of the faithful, are familiar with what they are to do.

We have suggested that one member who is on duty for that month would meet the family with the priest when the arrangements are being made for the funeral liturgy.

Members of Funeral Ministry Team                                           

Kay McBrierty

Georgina O’Connell

Sr Sinéad O'Sullivan

Sr Jacinta Forde

Dermot Quinn

John Kavanagh

Magdalen O'Connell