P.O. Box 37
23080 Maddox Road
Bushwood, MD 20618
(301) 769-3100
The loss of a loved one is a painful time for a family. Sacred Heart Church is sorry for your loss. We are honored to assist in your funeral preparations, in this last act of charity for the mortal remains of your beloved deceased.
A Catholic Mass is celebrated for the soul of the departed, with scripture readings and the Liturgy of the Eucharist (Communion), with funeral rites included. This lasts about one hour. The Mass is celebrated with the body of the deceased present. It is acceptable to celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial with cremated remains present.
It is the practice of the Catholic Church that the bodily remains or the cremated remains be interred. Interment expresses the hope that, with all those who have gone before marked with the sign of faith, the deceased awaits the glory of the resurrection. Through the act of committal, the community of faith proclaims that the place of interment, once a sign of futility and despair, has been transformed by means of Christ's own death and resurrection into a sign of hope and promise.
The family of the deceased may have the opportunity to speak with the parish priest to discuss appropriate Scripture readings and sacred music for the Mass. If sacred music is desired, it will be the responsibility of the family to arrange for music.
The family may designate practicing Catholics to offer the Scripture readings during the Mass. The family may designate practicing Catholics to take part in the Procession of the Gifts (bread and wine) at the Offertory of the Mass.
Following the Order of Christian Funerals and the Archdiocese of Washington's Liturgical Norms and Policies, words of remembrance may be offered at the funeral home visitation, at the cemetery at the conclusion of the burial rite, or at the repast following the funeral. These are the most appropriate places for family members and friends to offer remarks about the deceased. These venues allow for more speakers, more time, more spontaneity, a wider range of themes and methods of paying tribute (stories, songs, or poems), and less emotional stress for the speaker(s). Eulogies, which have never been a part of the Catholic liturgical tradition, do not take place in the church.
At the discretion of Sacred Heart Church, registered and participating parish families (with the departed being either a participating parishioner or the next of kin of a participating parishioner) may have visitation time with family and friends in the church prior to the Mass of Christian Burial if the church is available.
Sacred Heart Church has a parish hall that may be rented for a reception after the Mass of Christian Burial. Please contact the Parish Office at (301) 769-3100 or sacredheart.bushwood.md@adw.org for details.
If sacred music is desired, it will be the responsibility of the family to arrange for music. Music is typically arranged through the funeral director, who may have contact information for available organists and cantors.
Music in the form of hymns, chants, and responses is present throughout the Mass. Hymns are typically sung at 3-4 places in the liturgy during the Processional (if there is no viewing prior to Mass), the Offertory, Communion, and the Recessional.
Secular music, even popular Christian, patriotic, or personal favorites of the deceased, is better suited for the visitation or repass. They are not appropriate for the ecclesiastical funeral rites.
The following hymns are appropriate for a Funeral Mass outside of the Easter season:
In addition to the aforementioned hymns, the following hymns are appropriate for a Funeral Mass during of the Easter season (from Easter Sunday to Pentecost Sunday):