Funerals

“Lord, for your faithful people life is changed, not ended. When the body of our earthly dwelling lies in death we gain an everlasting dwelling place in heaven.”

- Preface for Christian Death I (P77) Excerpt from the English translation of the Roman Missal © 1973, International Committee on English in the Liturgy, Inc. (ICEL). All rights reserved.

Scheduling a Funeral

To schedule a Funeral or Memorial Mass at Holy Spirit, please call our parish office at (317) 849-9245. We will do our best to accommodate your preferred date, but final scheduling is dependent on the parish calendar and availability of staff and priests.

Visitations at Holy Spirit

Holy Spirit is able to host visitations for up to two hours prior to a Funeral Mass. Certain days and times may not be available due to parish events and Masses. Please speak with a Pastoral Associate for more information.

Pre-planning for Funerals

If you are interested in pre-planning your Funeral Mass, please contact one of our Pastoral Associates at (317) 585-1257 to schedule an appointment. Materials for preplanning can be found below in the “Planning the Mass” section.

Considering Cremation?

The Catholic Church teaches that while burying the bodies of the dead is considered the norm, “cremation is permitted as long as it has not been chosen for reasons contrary to Church teaching.” Cremated remains should be treated with the same respect as the remains of a human body and should be buried or entombed, rather than scattered or kept in the home. Full funeral Masses and burial rites are celebrated for Catholic Christians who choose cremation.

Planning the Mass

Planning for all funerals and Memorial Masses at Holy Spirit is assisted by our Pastoral Associates. They will prepare all materials needed for the Mass and the funeral program.

We recommend that music be coordinated by our Director of Liturgy, who will arrange for musicians to be present. If you are interested in using outside musicians, a consultation is required with one of our parish staff. Sacred music should be used for any services in the Church and Chapel.

Planning Materials

• Funeral Planning Guide for Families (Print, Complete, Return (pdf)   or   Funeral Planning Guide for Families (online)
• Recommended Readings (pdf)
• Common Hymns and Psalms (pdf)
• Sample Program (pdf)
• Intercesions (pdf)

Funeral Meals
Holy Spirit has a funeral luncheon ministry which provides meals to families following funeral services. Contact one of our Pastoral Associates for details.

Donations and Fees
There is no fee for hosting a funeral Mass.  However, many families choose to make an offering to the parish in honor of the deceased. It is also customary to offer an honorarium to the priest.
There are fixed fees for music at the funeral (although these fees can be adjusted in cases of need). .

For questions or more information, please contact one of the
Pastoral Associates at 317-585-1257.