Funeral Planning
Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted…
The Funeral Liaison Ministry of Espiritu Santo Parish has been developed with the hope of assisting those who have lost a loved one with Funeral Mass planning. As a parish family, our mission is to journey with the bereaved family at this most stressful and emotional time of their life. We have a team of trained volunteers available to assist families or individuals with everything involved in planning the Funeral Mass. We also offer Pre-planning for the living. Pre-planning one’s funeral Liturgy is a prayerful and profound experience that gives the planner insight into the beauty of the Liturgy and hope during the journey of life. We offer two pre-planning seminars per year.
On this web page you will find:
Scriptures
Old Testament Readings
The Old Testament readings from the Order of Christian Funerals for use in the Diocese of St. Petersburg are:
New Testament Readings
The New Testament readings from the Order of Christian Funerals for use in the Diocese of St. Petersburg are:
Gospels
The Gospel readings from the Order of Christian Funerals for use in the Diocese of St. Petersburg are:
Mark 15:33-39, 16:1-6 or 15:33-39
Luke 23:44-46, 50, 52-53; 24:1-6a or 23:44-46, 50, 52-53
Songs
Hymn Selections
Gathering Songs
All Creatures of Our God and King
Amazing Grace
Be Not Afraid
Be Still My Soul
Christ Be Our Light
City of God
Come to Me
Come to the River
For All the Saints
Healing River of the Spirit
Here at This Table
Here I Am, Lord
Hosea
I Am the Bread of Life
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
In This Place
Jerusalem, My Happy Home
Like a Shepherd
Morning has Broken
On Eagle’s Wings
Shall We Gather at the River
Sing With All the Saints in Glory
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
This Day God Gives Me
We Walk by Faith
Where My Father Lives, There is Room for All
You are Mine
Offertory Songs
Age to Age
All Creatures of Our God and King
Amazing Grace
Be Not Afraid
Be Still My Soul
Blest are They
Center of My Life
Change Our Hearts
Christ Be Our Light
City of God
Come to Me
Come to the River
Eye Has Not Seen
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman
Healing River of the Spirit
Here at This Table
Here I Am, Lord
Hosea
How Can I Keep From Singing
How Great Thou Art
How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
In Every Age
In the Land There is a Hunger
In This Place
Jerusalem, My Happy Home
Keep in Mind
Like a Shepherd
Lord of all Hopefulness
Lord You Have Come/Pescador de Hombres
Morning has Broken
Now We Remain
O Breathe on Me, O Breath of God
O God, You Search Me
O Loving God (may be used as Song of Farewell)
On Eagle’s Wings
One Lord
Only This I Want
Parable (For Everything there is a Season)
Prayer of St. Francis
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Roll Away the Stone
Seek Ye First
Shall We Gather at the River
Shelter Me, O God
Shepherd Me, O God
Sing With All the Saints in Glory
Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling
Soon and Very Soon
Stand by Me
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
There is a Balm in Gilead
There is a Longing
This Alone
This Day God Gives Me
Turn to Me
Unless a Grain of Wheat
We Have Been Told
We Remember
We Walk by Faith
We Will Rise Again
Whatsoever You Do
Where My Father Lives, There is Room for All
You are Mine
You are Near
Communion Songs
Age to Age
Be Not Afraid
Behold the Lamb
Blest are They
Bread for the World
Bread of Life Farrell
Bread of Life Fischer
Bread, Blest and Broken
Center of My Life
Change Our Hearts
Christ Be Our Light
Come to Me
Come to the River
Eat This Bread
Eye Has Not Seen
Gift of Finest Wheat
Here at This Table
Here I Am, Lord
How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place
I Am the Bread of Life
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
I Received the Living God
In Every Age
In the Land There is a Hunger
In This Place
Keep in Mind
Like a Shepherd
Lord You Have Come/Pescador de Hombres
Now We Remain
On Eagle’s Wings
One Bread, One Body
One Lord
One Love Released
Only This I Want
Pan de Vida
Panis Angelicus
Precious Lord, Take My Hand
Shelter Me, O God
Shepherd Me, O God
Softly and Tenderly Jesus is Calling
Stand by Me
Taste and See
The Supper of the Lord
There is a Longing
This Alone
This Bread That We Share
To Be Your Bread
Turn to Me
Unless a Grain of Wheat
We Have Been Told
We Remember
We Will Rise Again
Whatsoever You Do
Where My Father Lives, There is Room for All
You are Mine
You are Near
Sending Songs
Age to Age
All Creatures of Our God and King
Amazing Grace
Be Not Afraid
Be Still My Soul
Blest are They
Christ Be Our Light
City of God
For All the Saints
How Great Thou Art
I Know That My Redeemer Lives
I Received the Living God
Jerusalem, My Happy Home
Jesus, Remember Me
Lead Me, Lord
Let There be Peace on Earth
Like a Shepherd
Morning has Broken
O Loving God (may be used as Song of Farewell)
On Eagle’s Wings
Parable (For Everything there is a Season)
Prayer of St. Francis
Roll Away the Stone
Shall We Gather at the River
Sing With All the Saints in Glory
Song of Farewell Old Hundredth
Song of Farewell Sands
Soon and Very Soon
We Walk by Faith
We Will Rise Again
Where My Father Lives, There is Room for All
You are Mine
Responsorial Psalms
Ps 16 The Path of Life
Ps 23 The Lord is My Shepherd
Ps 25 To You, O Lord, I Lift Up My Soul
Ps 27 I Believe I Shall See the Goodness of the Lord in the Land of the Living
Ps 27 The Lord is My Light and My Salvation
Ps 42 Like a Deer That Longs for Flowing Streams
Ps 63 My Soul is Thirsting
Ps 84 How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place
Ps 90 In Every Age
Ps 91 Be With Me Lord When I am In Trouble
Ps 103 Loving and Forgiving
Ps 103 The Lord is Kind and Merciful
Ps 116 In the Land of the Living
Rituals and Participation
Participation
There are several times during the celebration of the Funeral Liturgy when family members or close friends may participate in the Rituals.
Before the procession, the funeral pall is placed on the casket or urn. A Bible or Prayer Book, rosary and cross that had belonged to the deceased can be placed on the casket or next to the cremains after the procession into the sanctuary.
Family members may serve as Readers of the Sacred Scriptures, they may present the bread, water and wine to the celebrant during the Preparation of the Altar and there may be short words of remembrance after Communion.
The Readings and Music selections are approved as appropriate for Catholic funerals. You are invited to give some time to reflecting on them and selecting those that best express your or your loved one’s life experiences.
If you have questions as you work through the materials, please call Jeff Fitzcharles at 727.726.8477
If you have recently lost a loved one, contact your Funeral Home first and they will call us to schedule a date and time for the wake and/or Funeral Liturgy and internment. You will then receive a call from a member of our Funeral Liaison Ministry to assist you in the planning process. If you are pre-planning for yourself, when you are ready, please contact the Church Office to set up an appointment with a member of the ministry. When your preparations are complete, we will Keep a copy of your plans in our files.