“For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s.”
“All the sacraments, and principally those of Christian initiation, have as their goal the last Passover of the child of God which, through death, leads him into the life of the Kingdom. Then what he confessed in faith and hope will be fulfilled: ‘I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.’” (CCC 1680)
The Church, as Mother, mourns deeply with those who mourn the death of their loved ones, even as she awaits in hope the final resurrection of all the faithful. In the last moments of their earthly journey, the Church desires to accompany souls into the Father’s hands with the deeply meaningful prayers of the funeral rites. Through two millennia, the Church has developed these prayers as a comfort to those who mourn, a heartfelt prayer for those whose souls are now commended to God’s mercy, and as an expression of hope in the final victory of God over sin and death.
If you are experiencing the death of a friend or relative, we at Our Lady of Lourdes offer our condolences to you and your family. For information on the various funeral rites or for scheduling a funeral Mass at the Church, please contact the parish office at 217-877-4404.