Funerals & Memorial Services
The Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, more commonly known as Confession, is the sacrament by which Catholics confess their sins and receive absolution from a priest. It’s not the priest himself who forgives sins, but God administering his grace sacramentally through the priest. It’s this grace that strengthens penitent Catholics to remain in a state of grace, to be free from mortal sin, and in friendship with God.
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Funeral arrangements in the Cathedral are scheduled through local mortuaries. The mortuary coordinates with the family and with our office to plan and schedule the services. Funeral dates and times are subject to approval by a priest. Receptions may be held after the services in one of our facilities when space is available. Reception requests are made through the mortuary.
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Memorial services are planned and scheduled with a priest. Call the Parish Office at (707) 542-6984 for further information.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Because this is an emotional time for the family, a simplified procedure is in place to reduce the burden on the family. The mortuary you have selected to prepare the body for burial handles the scheduling of the church for you. They meet with the family to discuss funeral and burial options and then they contact our office to schedule the funeral service. Please contact them directly. Once our office is contacted by the mortuary, a priest contacts the family to set up a meeting date and time for planning the details of the service. When a mortuary is not involved, contact the parish office.
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Typically, funerals are held Monday through Saturday at 10:00 a.m. or 1:00 p.m., depending on the availability of the church. Funerals may not be held on Sundays or on Holy Days.
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The priest scheduled to preside at the service collaborates with family members to help plan the funeral. The book Through Death to Life is used as a preparation guideline. It contains many suggested readings and prayers from which to choose. If you wish to review the book prior to your meeting with the priest, you may pick up a copy at the parish office.
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Please speak to your priest for music suggestions and musician referrals. The cathedral organist may be available to play the organ at the service.
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The fees for the church, the priest and the organist are included in the burial costs you pay the mortuary. The mortuary pays the church $150.00; the stipend for the priest depends on the services chosen but generally ranges from $50.00 to $200.00.
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Receptions may be scheduled in one of our facilities on a space available basis. Tell the mortuary if you are interested in holding a reception here. They make the initial arrangements with our office. We recommend that the family designate one person to act as the reception coordinator or contact person on behalf of the family. After the mortuary schedules the reception, the family member designated as the contact person coordinates the reception details with the parish office receptionist.
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There is a rental fee for parish facilities and it varies depending on the needs for the reception. Additionally, there is a fee for insurance coverage. The rental fee is waived for active, registered parishioners although the insurance fee is required.
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The family is required to set up the room, prepare and serve any food that is offered to guests and clean up the room and kitchen afterwards. We recommend the family recruit friends or relatives to help with these tasks. Or the family may choose to hire a caterer to coordinate the reception. A list of facility policies is provided at the time of booking.