Planning a funeral mass for a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences we will face. This webpage offers you a step by step guide to help you prepare for either your own funeral mass or the funeral mass of a loved one.

When a Loved One is Seriously Ill
Please call Ascension office (225-473-3176 or emergency 225-342-9532) and request that a priest visit to give the sacrament of Anointing of the Sick. The main office can also make arrangements for a Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist to visit your loved one, pray with them, and give them Holy Communion.

When a Death Occurs
Please call Ascension office (225-473-3176 or emergency 225-342-9532). The receptionist will take down information about your loved one, your contact information, and which funeral home will be assisting your family.

After you have visited with the funeral home, you will be contacted by a staff at Ascension Church. The church staff will help you set a time to visit the church to review the liturgy plan that you have created using the readings and musical selections given on this webpage.

At the Funeral Mass
The family will gather in the back of the church prior to the funeral mass (if the visitation was held at a funeral home). When the entrance hymn begins, the family will follow the priest and the casket to the front of the church. Family members will be seated in the reserved pews in the front of the church. Once at the altar, the casket will be sprinkled with holy water, draped in the pall, and a family cross can be placed on top of the casket.

At the end of mass, the pall will be removed and the family will follow the priest and the casket to the back of the church. The funeral directors will assist the family as they leave the church and prepare to depart for either the cemetery.

Funeral Readings