Sickness, Death and Mourning

Many families wait too long to call a priest, or are not sure what to ask for. Here is practical advice: when to call, how to reach a priest, what he will do, how to prepare the room, and what you can do yourself if a priest cannot come in time.

When someone dies, families often have to plan a funeral quickly while grieving. Here is a practical guide to Catholic funerals: the vigil, the funeral Mass and the burial, eulogies, music, who can have a Catholic funeral, and what the Church says about cremation and ashes.

Catholics believe that love and prayer do not end at death. Here is a practical guide to praying for those who have died: having a Mass offered, traditional prayers, anniversaries, November customs, visiting graves, and how to keep praying when you are grieving.