AspectsOf A Catholic Funeral

The two main goals of a Catholic funeral service are respect for the deceased and comfort for the bereaved. Attention is given to the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, giving Catholics hope.

Aspects Of A Catholic Funeral

What occurs at a Catholic funeral is dependent on the type of service. These are the main aspects:

1. The Final Rites

For a devout Catholic, calling a priest to administer the last rites is an absolute need in the final hours of life. The final rites are a series of sacraments performed at the end of life. The Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, and the Sacrament of the Viaticum are some examples of these rites.

2. The Vigil

The Vigil is very much like a wake or a viewing. Those who knew the departed soul meet in a place of worship, the funeral home, or even the house of family members to say farewells and offer final prayers. The Vigil is a service held the evening before the Funeral Mass, and it consists of a series of prayers conducted by a priest, deacon, or knowledgeable layperson. It’s a moment to honour the departed, which often includes speeches and eulogies.

3. Catholic Funeral Mass/ Memorial Mass

Catholic funerals typically occur at a Catholic church, where a Funeral Mass (or a Memorial Mass if nobody is present) is celebrated. Before the Mass begins, the remains are covered with a pall and sprinkled with holy water at the church’s front door. Once the casket and the funeral procession reached the front of the church, specific items, such as an open Bible and crucifix, are traditionally put on the casket.

Family and friends are welcome to participate in a Catholic funeral mass by reciting passages from the Bible. However, eulogies and funeral speeches are not customary. Even more non-traditional components, such as eulogies, special live music, and even more modern music, may be allowed in some churches.

4. Dates On Which You Can’t Conduct a Catholic Funeral Mass

You cannot conduct Catholic Funeral Masses on these holy days:

  • Good Friday
  • Holy Thursday
  • Holy Saturday
  • Easter Sunday
  • Lent
  • Advent
  • Easter Season

Due to the time involved in some of these holy days (up to 50 days in some situations), a Catholic funeral ceremony may be held without a Mass. The Rite of Committal and the funeral liturgy are held separately from the Mass. After the end of the mourning period, a Catholic Memorial Mass can be held in honour of the departed.

5. Organ Donation in the Catholic Church

Donation of organs is permitted and even endorsed by the Catholic Church. This is what the Catechism states: Donating an organ after death is a selfless and admirable gesture that should be promoted, and organ donation can save the life of another.

6. Embalming

Under Catholic doctrine, embalming is not a concern. If the funeral is postponed and the deceased’s body will be present during the vigil, the family may decide to embalm/partially embalm the body to better preserve and show their loved one.

7. Views on Cremation in Catholicism

The Catholic Church has historically frowned upon the practice of cremation. Almost all Christians are opposed to cremation because they think that on the Day of Judgment, all deceased people will be resurrected and their souls reunited with their bodies. Therefore, there is nothing left from a burnt body that can be united with the soul.

These days, Catholics are free to choose cremation if they so want. The majority of Catholic priests believe that the cremated ashes should be buried rather than spread and that the deceased’s mortal remains should be present during the Catholic Funeral Mass.

8. Rite of Committal

At the Rite of Committal, loving ones can say their final goodbyes to the deceased. It is held at a Catholic cemetery and entails prayers expressing the wish that the departed will be reunited with loved ones in Heaven.

The priest will bless the grave where the body is to be buried during the Rite of Committal process. The ceremony will often close with everyone present praying the Lord’s Prayer.

Well-Organised Catholic Funeral Services

Knowing what to do next after the death of a loved one can significantly ease the burden of loss. Our funeral director understands that this is a difficult time of transition and will do their best to make the planning process as simple as possible.

Paul Lahood serves a sizable Catholic clientele and is well-equipped to assist you in arranging a respectful Catholic burial for your dearly gone loved one.

For information about our Catholic funeral services, please call Paul Lahood Funeral Service and we will respond quickly to help you with all the information you need.

WhatIs Involved In A Prepaid Funeral Australia?

When contemplating their own mortality, most people are troubled by the notion that their family will have to pay for their burial. We at Paul Lahood Funeral Services respect your sentiments and develop numerous funeral plans to meet your preferences. These funeral plans allow individuals to prepay for their funeral in Australia while living, easing the financial strain on their families. These funeral plans allow individuals to prepay for their funeral in Australia while living, reducing the financial strain on their families.

Various Funeral Services

Sydney’s funeral services include alternatives that allow you to:

  • Choose from many packages
  • Obtain flexible payment alternatives
  • Choose a customised plan
  • Consult with the funeral director for assistance in selecting a plan that meets your needs
  • • Work below your budget and create a plan that best suits you.

A reputable funeral home will allow you to tailor the package to your needs, guarantee that you receive the services you need, and charge you only for those services. The funeral director provides you with all the information you need about the items to be included, their pricing, etc., to make an educated choice about such a pre-paid funeral plan and guarantee that you receive good value for your money.

Considerations Regarding a Prepaid Funeral Service

Are you putting off learning about the funeral planning procedure? Are you under the impression that it is a complicated and time-consuming process? In reality, the funeral home simplifies the process, and the funeral director will offer feedback and recommendations to assist you. A few facts on funeral services:

  • You do not have to get a medical check-up or answer any health-related questions
  • Your plan is unaffected by economic fluctuations, and you pay for the selected funeral plan. Your family will incur no additional costs so long as the location of your house and your agreed-upon needs stay intact.
  • The funeral director informs you of any third-party fees, their nature, and their financial consequences.
  • The funeral plan with prepayment is not set in stone. There is the option to modify your plan whenever you deem it essential. We implement all modifications to your strategy.

Cost-Effective Funeral Service

Once you have signed and paid for a pre-paid funeral plan, you need not worry about how your family will pay for your funeral expenditures. The funeral ceremony will be handled by specialists, relieving your family members of any anxieties in this regard.

For more details about our prepaid and other funeral services, please call Paul Lahood Funeral Services at our Head office (02) 9564 0223 or 0413 860 848 for our Western Sydney branch. We are a family-owned and -operated business with extensive experience in this industry.

We have many pleased clients who receive personalised services tailored to their pre-paid funeral needs. You can also write to us through this Online Form. Our team will work with you to understand your needs and recommend the most suitable prepaid funeral service plan.

HowMuch Does Funeral Insurance Cost in Australia?

In case you are considering purchasing funeral insurance in Australia, it’s natural to be inquisitive about the cost you need to shell out. While the funeral director would take care of the formalities, you need to have adequate monetary arrangements.

With funeral insurance, the beneficiary receives a lump-sum amount when the policyholder passes away. This financial resource goes a long way in helping the family manage costs related to the funeral. So, when one of your family members has this policy, you can seek funeral services without stressing yourself financially.

Australians need to shell out a monthly premium to the insurance company. Depending on the benefits of the policy, the premium would vary. Normally, the policyholder can choose insurance where the benefits can range between $5,000 and $15,000.

What factors affect the cost of a funeral?

When one of your family members passes away, you would have to bear some immediate expenses. On average, a funeral in Australia requires the family of the deceased to shell out anything between $4,000 and $15,000. Now, this cost depends on several factors, depending on whether you decide to cremate the person or bury him/her.

So, the cost of funeral insurance would depend on the way in which you carry out the proceedings. Some of these aspects include:

  • Special family requirements or religious ceremonies
  • Whether the person is cremated or buried
  • Miscellaneous expenses like death certificates or death notices
  • Refreshments that you provide to the mourners
  • The memorial service and the location of the funeral
  • In case of burial, you need to consider the expenses for transportation, preparing the burial plot, council fees, and procuring the headstone, and casket.

Other aspects that decide the cost of funeral insurance

A number of factors decide the insurance premiums. These aspects are not directly related to the kind of ceremony you want to arrange. For instance, the age of the policyholder at the time of purchasing the insurance makes a difference in the premiums. The insurer would also consider whether the person is a smoker or not, the amount of payout required, and the type of premiums you would like to pay. Also, you need to consider the charges that you need to shell out to the funeral directors. Based on all these aspects, you can calculate the funeral insurance cost.

How much do you have to pay for funeral insurance?

In case you decide to purchase a funeral insurance policy at the age of 50, the average premium would range between $53 and $55 a month. Likewise, when you decide to go for this policy at a later age, the monthly premium would be higher. For instance, a 70-year-old would have to pay anything between $146 and $151 per month for the policy.

Having funeral insurance makes sense, as you won’t come under financial stress while arranging the last rites of your family members. Reputed funeral directors such as Paul Lahood Funeral Services provide cost-effective and comprehensive assistance to the family of the deceased. So, you won’t have to stress your pockets with professional funeral services available.

FuneralWake, What You Need to Know

Funeral wakes happen to be one of the common ways in which Australians honour their loved ones. Most families seek the assistance of a reputed funeral director while arranging a wake. When it comes to honouring someone who has passed away, you would try to arrange the best ceremony.

In general, it’s tough to differentiate common memorial ceremonies such as viewings, funerals, and wakes. However, each practice has a particular nuance associated with it. Once you know these differences, you can make an informed decision when you work with the funeral director. This way, you can honour the memory of your loved ones in the most appropriate way.

Funeral Wake Meaning

A funeral wake is actually a funeral reception. In this event, the family members and close friends of the deceased pay their respect by gathering together to the loved one. Traditionally, funeral wakes were arranged before the funeral and were referred to as viewings. However, in modern times, funeral wakes are held after the funeral, or memorial service.

To understand the funeral wake meaning properly, you should know how a funeral wake is different from the actual funeral process. Funerals are more formal as compared to wakes. A religious figure or a funeral celebrant generally leads the funeral. On the other hand, wakes are not too formal, as they have a casual element in them. The focus is more on the mourners, who gather together and remember how the deceased person led their life.

In Australia itself, a funeral wake is usually held after the funeral ceremony and burial have concluded. It is a social gathering consisting of the mourners or funeral attendees. This is the right moment for the mourners to offer condolences to the immediate family and reminisce on the good things that have been done by the deceased during his life.

Things to Know About Funeral Wakes

During funeral wakes, the family members and friends of the deceased share the memories. In general, the objective of this event is to celebrate the life of the person who has passed away. Naturally, the family members of the deceased with be bereaved. They organize an event, where the mourners come in and participate. Some families also plant a memorial tree for the deceased. Moreover, not all mourners might have attended the funeral. They can attend the wake in turn. These people might also include young children. At a funeral wake, the funeral directors arrange for food and drinks.

  • A wake brings you an opportunity to communicate to the family or friends of the deceased person. You might share a memory or story that you love about the person.
  • Normally, a close family member of the person who has passed away wouldn’t request the visitors to bring anything in particular. In these situations, the visitors might bring some food dishes in case there is no arrangement for catering. Some visitors might bring a card in the memory of the deceased person.
  • After the funeral, the family has to choose a nearby location for the wake after a few days. The family members generally wear the same clothes that they had put on during the funeral. In case you are not sure what to wear, you might reach out to the funeral directors for advice.

Funeral Wake or Funeral Ceremony? Which One Should be Prioritized?

As explained above, a funeral wake is an event held before or after a formal funeral ceremony. It can be said that holding a funeral wake is not a must, but it’s good to have it. The most important thing is actually a proper funeral ceremony for the deceased.

However, holding a proper funeral ceremony to release the deceased during the mourning period is not an easy thing for the family. Following the departure of a loved one, families remain in shock for several days. We understand these conditions. Therefore, we are here to help.

Paul Lahood is a Sydney-based professional funeral director. We are independently Australian-owned and operated, now providing a complete range of funeral services in Sydney which are designed to assist our clients following the death of a family member or loved one. We make all the necessary arrangements for the funeral by consulting the family. Based on your specifications, finances, and type of celebration.

At Paul Lahood Funerals, quality is something that should never be compromised. For us, professionalism is very important.

FuneralArrangements: A Complete Guide

A loved one’s death is a very stressful experience. The grief is immense, and there is a responsibility to make the arrangements for the funeral. Having a quick guide is of great help and makes this difficult time a little easier.

This article will give you the steps of the funeral arrangement, from the first call to the administrative and financial matters.

Making funeral arrangements

Here are a few steps to plan for the funeral of a family member or a friend.

1. First calls

Notify the concerned parties and get the deceased moved from the place of death.

2. Confirm transportation

With the first call, the transfer of the deceased to a funeral home or a similar facility is confirmed. In some cases, another transfer may be a requirement.

3. Pre-arrangements

Check if the deceased had prepared a funeral plan and they have left it behind. If a pre-arranged plan exists, it might specify the service provider that the deceased had selected.

4. Information for obituary

Compile the information for the obituary like date of birth, date of death, information about spouse and children, and any details about their work. You may search for some sample evocative obituaries to get some idea about framing the same

5. Selecting a funeral home

If the details are not in the pre-arrangement then, you need to find a good funeral home. The best way to do this is with a recommendation from a friend. Once you have a few names, call each service provider and discuss details like your requirements and the budget.

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6. Type of funeral

What to Wear to A Funeral?

There are several types of services that you can hold, like traditional burial, green burial, cremation, and more. The funeral home or the funeral director can explain all these to you and help you decide. You may discuss the following questions with them:

  • Will a casket be there? If yes, will it be open or closed?
  • If you choose cremation, will the ashes be scattered? If you choose to deposit the ashes in an urn, will it be placed in a mausoleum?
  • Will religious tradition be followed and respected?
  • Will there be any contributions to charities?

7. Select a casket or urn

Once you select a funeral home, they will help you buy a casket or urn. If you find it convenient, you can also buy it from some other place. As per the rules, the funeral home must use the casket you get and they cannot charge you for the same. Depending on the material, finish, and design, the price of the casket or urn varies.

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8. Details of the service

Plan the details of the service like photos and displays, videos, post-service meals and memorabilia, song, or music that will play at the service. Clothing for the deceased and any heirloom or jewellery the family chooses to bury needs to be arranged.

9. Who will participate?

List down who will be the friends or family members who will serve as the pallbearers. Also, decide who will give a eulogy. Some people choose to depend on the clergy representative to talk about the person who died.

10. Transportation or conveyance

Arrange the conveyance or transportation for the family members to and from the funeral home. It is best to arrange this beforehand to avoid last-minute hassles.

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Selecting a funeral home

There are several things to be kept in mind while selecting a funeral home. The situation of losing a loved one is so delicate that you cannot focus on this task. Hence, it is good to either seek help from someone or prepare a checklist for yourself.

The most important factor is your comfort with the funeral home. If the deceased had a choice of the funeral home, then you must go ahead with them. This is the place where the life of a person will be celebrated. All loved ones will gather to pay their respect to the person who passed away. Therefore, the right selection of the funeral home is important.

Speak to friends and family for recommendations as it is an added layer of assurance. If you are looking for a reliable funeral service provider in Sydney, Paul Lahood Funeral Services is a well-known name. We are committed to meeting every family’s needs in a professional and dignified manner.

Whatto Wear to A Funeral?

If you are supposed to attend a funeral and are unsure as to what to wear to the event remember to wear something that is respectful and befitting the sad occasion. There are a lot of useless ideas floating around on the internet that you need to ignore and only keep in mind that you should not all for attention to yourself through your attire. The occasion calls for the focus to be on why you are present there and not you.

Being conservative in your approach

Funerals are rarely lively or happy events unless the affected family itself is celebrating a life well spent instead of mourning a life lost. It is a sombre occasion and it is prudent to dress in conservative styles and colours. Wearing all black is not compulsory but it is acceptable attire.

One must avoid bright, floral and wild prints. These will only show that you do not respect the deceased. Showing a lot of skin too is termed undesirable hence short hemlines and low and plunging necklines are to be avoided at all costs.

What qualifies as an acceptable attire?

For women, the clothes which are acceptable can be a pantsuit, skirts and blouses or a dress. Colours should be dark and preferably not from the bright end of the spectrum. One thing to note is that the clothes you wear should not enhance your curves or show cleavage. For accessories wise you have to stick to flats and low heels only coupled with a simple & small hand purse. Your hat should not block someone else’s view so keep it simple there as well.

For men, it is advisable to wear a suit, dark coloured. No sports caps with something written on it at all. Also, graphic t-shirts should stay in the drawers and sober ties should be embraced. Mostly, a conservative suit does the job perfectly well. Leather shoes without anything flashy is the norm.

Exceptions are always there, even for funerals

It is acceptable to wear your military uniform if you are going to pay respects to a veteran you knew. If the religion of the person warrants some particular style of clothes, or if your religion calls for something particular then you may wear that. Exceptions however do not give you full freedom to choose the attire for example you are not supposed to reach a funeral in shorts or pyjamas or in a shirt that has wild prints all over it.

In very few cases, the families of the deceased organize funeral services that are a form of celebration of life rather than the sad loss of an individual. These settings can allow a little more leeway in what you wear. You might be asked to dress up in a particular fashion and you should follow their request. If you are confused or unclear about the attire, then there is no harm in asking them because it is better than showing up in an inappropriate dress.