Funerals
From all of us at St. Joseph Catholic Church, we are deeply sorry for your loss.
Please know of our prayers for you, your family and your deceased loved ones.
Contact
Parish Office
(636) 441-0055 ext. 100
parish@stjoecot.org
Death is a passage to a newer and fuller life, and ultimately to resurrection and eternal union with God. The Church emphasizes life in the funeral liturgy.
The Funeral Rites of the Catholic Church have three main purposes:
to offer prayers for the soul of the deceased, to grant comfort to you and all who are grieving, and to give fitting tribute to the departed soul.
At the funeral we derive strength from our Christian faith, which provides the true consolation we find in the resurrection of Jesus, our source of hope in times of sorrow. Our attention is centered on Jesus, who speaks to us through the Scriptures, and who comes to us in the Holy Eucharist in our time of grief.
Funeral Planning
Funerals With a Funeral Home
The standard procedure for a funeral at St. Joseph is that a funeral director (funeral home or mortuary) works with St. Joseph parish staff to set up the details of the visitation, funeral Mass, luncheon and interment.
The funeral home provides a comfortable visitation space for greeting family and friends and allows the family to select the best time frame for the visitation.
They also provide valuable assistance with writing and placement of obituaries in local newspapers, ordering death certificates, easels for pictures and memory displays, guest books, prayer cards, and programs. We encourage families to take advantage of the resources that are offered by the funeral home.
Funerals Without a Funeral Home
There are times when a family chooses not to utilize the services of a funeral home. In these instances the family is asked to call the Parish Office to arrange dates and times of events.
St. Joseph will strive to ensure your loved one is honored and has a proper Christian liturgical celebration.
Please be aware of the visitation guidelines provided on this page and limitations of the resources we can offer.
Items such as prayer cards, programs, and sign-in book must be provided by the family and can be purchased either at a funeral home or a Catholic book/supply store.
The St. Joseph Bereavement Ministry
A compassionate group of volunteers will prayerfully represent St. Joseph Parish at the visitation and welcome friends and family of the deceased person in the Gathering Area of the church for the funeral Mass. They are also available to act as lectors, extraordinary ministers, ushers and whatever else the family needs at the funeral Mass.
In addition, this ministry offers an opportunity for grief support through the Seasons of Hope Ministry.
Visitations at St. Joseph
A private (family) and/or public visitation at St. Joseph is limited to a total of one hour before the funeral Mass in the Gathering Area. If you are expecting more than 50 people for the visitation, please contact a funeral home as they can better accommodate your needs.
The limited resources available for use include the following: tables with tablecloths for flowers, prayer cards and programs (we do not offer prayer cards or programs); two or three easels to display picture boards; and a lectern for the guest book. If an urn is present, a small square table with a cloth is provided.
Audio/Visual equipment is not available for a Life Tribute video to be shown. The family is welcome to have a video of this type if they, or the funeral home, provide and operate the necessary equipment.
Arrival time to set-up for the visitation is 15 minutes prior to the scheduled visitation time. A member from the Bereavement Ministry will be present to ensure that set up goes smoothly.
The family members will need to make arrangements to have all of the flowers/plants removed from the Gathering Area and Church after the funeral Mass.
Please note that during the Season of Lent, flowers are welcome in the Gathering Area, but are not allowed in the body of the Church.
Any additional items or requests must be approved by St. Joseph Parish. Balloons, doves, etc. are not to be released or used anywhere inside or outside the church and church property.
**Our Church is a sacred and holy place; therefore, food and drink are not allowed in the church building.
You will be asked to remove or dispose of any such items if they are brought in.
Words of Remembrance
Words of Remembrance for the deceased are best done during a luncheon following the funeral. This provides a more informal setting and will be more conducive to sharing personal aspects of your loved one’s life.
If the family determines that they would like one person to speak at the end of Mass, please talk to the priest who will be celebrating the funeral Mass. He will provide the guidelines and the time frame for such remarks.
Interment
Clergy will accompany the family to the place where the remains of your loved one will be interred unless otherwise instructed.
Columbarium
For information about a final resting place in our parish columbarium, please call the Parish Office at (636) 441-0055 ext. 100 to schedule a funeral or to speak to a priest.
Funeral Luncheon
If desired, a luncheon can be arranged in most cases after the funeral. This must be coordinated through the Parish Office.
An estimate of how many people are expected is required. An offering, typically $3-$4 per person, to defray the cost of food is suggested.
We use the Parish Hall for the luncheon when it is available. If our hall is not available, we attempt to schedule the Knights of Columbus Hall (one mile from the church on Highway N). They have a fee of $250. The Parish Hall offers audio/visual equipment so that a Life Tribute can be shown during the luncheon. It is recommended that one or two family members arrange to receive a short training regarding the operation of the audio/visual equipment one or two days prior.
Funeral Costs
Church $100
by check made payable to the church
Priest $100
by check made payable to the individual
Cantor $100
by check made payable to the individual
Organist $100
by check made payable to the individual
Deacon $50
by check made payable to the individual
Servers 3 @$15 each (cash)
Luncheon. An offering to defray the cost of the food is requested. Please make check payable to the church. Suggested amount: $3 – $4 per person.
Any additional items or requests must be approved by St. Joseph Parish and may result in a fee.
Remarks of Remembrance
Guidelines – Archdiocese of St. Louis
Remarks of Remembrance, skillfully done, will focus on the deceased and then give us hope or project us into the future. Remarks of Remembrance, again, if skillfully prepared, will not be emotionally engaging, but with the power of God at work bring about transformation in the grieving process.
It is extremely important that the presider know what will be given during these remarks. Since it is within the Eucharist, the presider has to be aware of what will be said and how it is said during the Eucharistic ritual.
Remarks of Remembrance are not meant to give anyone the ability to “preach” in a church. Therefore, it is extremely important that in planning the liturgy with the family, the Remarks of Remembrance be explained.
The family should be reminded that what is said should be Christ-centered and the remarks said so as to engage how the person lived their Christian faith. The remarks should enhance the liturgy and not detract from the ritual. All should be liturgically and ritually proper.
The family and friends have a right to expect personal and relevant elements of the liturgy to reflect the life of the deceased and integrated into the paschal mystery. The presider has a right to know and give guidelines for the Remarks of Remembrance.
Guidelines for “Remarks of Remembrance”
- Allow just one speaker
- Limit the time to two to three minutes
- See beforehand the commentary, poem that will be read
- Encourage other possible times for the storytelling about the deceased, such as
during the wake service, at the cemetery, or the luncheon
The presider must also be aware of cultural differences for the grieving of one’s deceased. Sensitivity and respect are of the utmost concern for the family and friends during this time.