Funeral Ministry

Ministry to the Dying

Priests and ministers are available to assist people with prayer and other support in their final days and months of life.  When people’s lives are fading away, its important to offer them spiritual support from their families and from the Church.  Please do not delay calling a priest to attend while a person is still conscious.

Funeral Ministry

At St Paul Apostle Parish we celebrate life, and we celebrate transitions in life.  One of those transitions is death.  It comes to all of us, whether we are the greatest or the smallest in the land, the oldest or the youngest.  Our lives are important, and our dying is important.

We have developed our resources well over the past few years.  When the time of death and dying comes, and the subsequent funeral, all these resources are available to us.

When a loved one dies we usually suggest that the funeral arrangements not be rushed.  That gives us time to prepare for the farewell of a loved one in a dignified and fitting way.  It’s Ok to take 3-5 days or more before the funeral.  That gives all the family time to participate in organising the funeral, the readings, the music, the prayers, the eulogy.

The Rites of Christian Funerals of our Church provide much resources for the following:

• Vigil of Prayer for the Deceased
• The Funeral Mass or Service
• The Rites for the Cemetery or Crematorium.

We will make these resources available to all families to assist them as they plan for the funeral services for a loved one.

Families are supported by the Parish who a loved one dies, and we assist them to celebrate the life and death of family members in ways that are most suitable to individual circumstances.  The resources of the parish are freely available at this time

Parish Memorial Garden

The Memorial Garden on the SW corner of the Church is a place or remembering.  Some parishioners have chosen to remember a loved one with a plaque.  Others have sprinkled their ashes on this garden.

November Memorial Mass

Each November the Parish gathers to remember all who have died, celebrating a special Mass at this time.