The sadness of death should give way in our liturgy to the promise of resurrected life.  It does so through prayers and blessings, through songs and readings, through ceremonies and symbols.  Our celebration of a person's life should reflect our conviction that in Jesus Christ we have life beyond life.

St. Rose de Lima Church is pleased to offer its parishioners the complete rites as a means of consolation for the living and grace-filled assistance for the deceased. These rites are most properly celebrated in the parish church of the deceased, in the presence of their faith community.

The Rite of Christian Burial is Threefold:

1. Rite of Reception and Vigil for the Deceased:   The Vigil generally takes place at the funeral home. Usually there is a brief service at the end of a visitation period consisting of the introductory rites, the liturgy of the word, the prayer of intercession, and a concluding rite. The vigil is usually presided over by a priest or deacon or a commissioned, trained lay person. This is a place for family members to share their remarks of remembrance or a eulogy.
2. The Funeral Mass:  At the Funeral Liturgy, the community gathers with the family and friends of the deceased to give praise and thanks to God for Christ's victory over sin and death and to commend the deceased to God's tender mercy and compassion. The church is the place where the community of faith gathers for worship. Therefore, it is best that the funeral rites take place in the church. In the act of bringing the body to the church, the members of the community acknowledge the deceased as one of their own, as one who was welcomed in Baptism and who held a place in the assembly.
   
3. Rite of Committal:  In committing the body to its resting place, the community expresses the hope that, with "all those who have gone before us marked with the sign of faith", the deceased awaits the glory of the Resurrection. The Rite of Committal is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of the deceased. It may be celebrated at the grave, tomb, or mausoleum. This Rite includes prayers offered for blessing of the ground, disposition of the body and for the consolation of those gathered.