New guide helps with Catholic funeral planning

August 13, 2024

Can I donate my body to a medical school when I die? If so, how do they do a funeral?

How can I tell my kids what I’d like at my funeral?  

These are among the frequently asked questions faithful Catholics think about as they contemplate their own end-of-life plans. The recently released Catholic Funeral Planning Guide provides resources for arranging a Catholic funeral.

“The Catholic Church offers profound and sacred traditions of various rites in the wake of death, providing solace and support to those who mourn and the privilege of remembering you at the altar of the Lord,” wrote Bishop William Joensen in a forward to the guide.

The Catholic Foundation of Southwest Iowa in collaboration with the Diocese of Des Moines created the guide to help individuals learn how to make plans for their funeral, and to help pastors accompany parishioners and their families during a time of grief, said Sue McEntee, executive director of the Catholic Foundation.

The guide explains Catholic funeral rites. There are three: the Vigil (also called a wake); the funeral liturgy (a Mass or prayer service); and the Rite of Committal, which is done at the cemetery.

For each of these, you can list your wishes directly in the guide, share it with loved ones and keep a copy with important papers. 

Questions to complete include whether you have a favorite outfit you’d like to wear for the Vigil, your preferences for who might give a eulogy at the Vigil or Rite of Committal, and who would do the readings at a funeral Mass.

The guide “is something a priest can use when sitting down with a family after the death of a loved one,” said McEntee. Or, “an individual can fill it out and send it to their children and give it to their church and say this is what I want to happen when I die. It’s a great conversation starter for a topic not always easy to discuss.” 

“Having a funeral plan in place takes the guesswork out of a time that’s full of grief and emotion,” said Father Trevor Chicoine, pastor of four parishes and diocesan Vicar for Divine Worship. “It also helps give family and friends confidence that they’re doing exactly what the deceased wanted.” 

To get a copy of the guide, check with your local parish or download it from the Catholic Foundation’s website at catholicfoundationiowa.org.