Funerals

“If, then, we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him.”

(Rom 6:8)

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May God bless you and bring comfort to you during this time of remembrance.

Our Lady of Lourdes Funeral Procedures

A. General Information

If you will be using services from a: 

Funeral Home

  • Contact your Funeral Home first
  • Your Funeral Home will contact Fr. David at (502) 896-0241 or dsanchez@ourlourdes.org, to schedule date and time of service.
  • After date and time are confirmed by Fr. David, your family will be contacted by Ms. Dana Eckert to plan the Funeral Mass or Funeral Home Service.
  • If Cremation is going to be used, the elements of your love one must be treated with dignity and respect. Please read the Catholic Directives on Cremation from the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, Vatican at the end of the page. All the elements must be burried after Funeral Mass.
  • If the elements will be managed in another tradition, it is recommended that the service take place at the funeral home.

Cremation Services

  • Contact Fr. David at (502) 896-0241 or dsanchez@ourlourdes.org to schedule date and time of service.
  • After date and time are confirmed, you will be contacted by Ms. Dana Eckert at (502) 896-0241 to plan the Funeral Mass or Funeral Home Service.  
  • The elements must be managed in accordance with Catholic teaching on cremation. Please read (F) below on Catholic Teachings on Cremation.
  • If the elements will be managed in another tradition, it is recommended that the service take place at the funeral home.

Note: A funeral requires a minimum of 2.5 hours assuming a procession from the Funeral Home to the Church, a Funeral Mass, a procession from the Church to the Cemetery for Burial, and, a procession from the Cemetery to the Bereavement gathering.

B. Funeral Liturgy

1. Vigil Service during the Visitation (optional).

  • Lourdes’s Pastor, deacon, or another priest or lay minister approved by Lourdes’s Pastor, will lead the Vigil Service at the Funeral Home during the visitation.

2. Readings and Petitions

  • Given that Funerals take place during the weekday liturgy, the reading and Gospel of the day are recommended and used as a first choice. 
  • The weekday and Catholic Funeral Rite readings are posted on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) website at https://bible.usccb.org
  • One (1) or two (2) lectors will be needed, based on the number of readings selected. 
  • The Presider will read the Prayers of the Faithful.

3. Liturgy of Communion

  • One or two extraordinary Eucharistic ministers, as approved by the Archdiocese of Louisville for the Mass, may be selected by the family to serve during the Funeral Mass.

4. Music

  • Secular music is not permitted before, during, or after a Funeral Mass at church.
  • Cantors and musicians must be approved by Lourdes’s Director of  Music.
  • Lourdes’s Director of  Music will support the family in their selection of music, vocalists, and musicians for the Funeral Mass during the Funeral planning meeting.

C. Eulogy or Remembrance

  • If the Family wishes to prepare a Eulogy, it may be delivered during the visitation at the funeral home or at the cemetery during the committal.

D. Bereavement Ministry

1. Bereavement Meals

  • Are reserved for Our Lady of Lourdes registered families of those whose Funeral Masses are celebrated at Lourdes or a Funeral Home gathering.
  • If you wish to receive a bereavement meal through Lourdes’s Bereavement Ministry, please inform staff during the funeral planning meeting.
  • While Lourdes does not currently have a community gathering space for Bereavement Meals, the school cafeteria can be used when available. If the meal is at another location, volunteers will deliver the food.

2. Bereavement Outreach and Support

  • Lourdes’s Pastoral Care and Outreach Coordinator, Dana Eckert (danae@ourlourdes.org), leads the Bereavement Outreach and Support ministry, providing support and resources to all those grieving the loss of a loved one.

E. Priest Visitors

  • The performance of Funeral Rites is entrusted to the Pastor of the parish (Canon 530.5)
  • Brother priests are welcome to concelebrate and preach in our parish, with proper documentation submitted to the Pastor in advance as required by the Archdiocese of Louisville.  
  • Lourdes’s Pastor and/or Associate Pastor will preside at each funeral based on his availability.

F. Catholic Teachings on Cremation

  • Please click HERE for Catholic Teachings on Cremation from the Cogregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Vatican.