Saint Perpetua Catholic Church

The Funeral Rite

 

For Catholics, the celebration of the Mass, or Eucharist, is at the heart of our faith. In coming together for Mass, we celebrate our belonging, as members of Christ’s family here on earth and for eternal life.

 

As we listen to the words of God in Holy Scripture, we discover new ways of making sense of life and death. We learn, too, how we can find the way to God in a world that is often confusing and difficult to understand. At holy Communion, Catholics share in the life of Christ in the sacred meal. We experience the result of God’s great desire to come to us and be one with us in this life.

 

To make the bread and wine for our Communion, grain and grapes are crushed. Jesus Christ was also crushed for our communion with him. He was crushed and crucified on the cross, so that the power of God’s love for all could be shown. In all our lives, there is suffering, but our suffering is not meaningless. For when suffering is faced with love, that which is crushed and broken is transformed by such love into new life.

 

Our celebration of holy Communion, which we call the Eucharist (meaning thanksgiving), brings into focus the cost of all true loving and shows us where such love will lead us – into the hands of God, the Creator of love.

 

In our funeral Mass, we are reassured, then, of Christ’s very real presence with us at this time. And the prayers of the whole Church are united on behalf of the one who has died and those who mourn the loss of a loved one.

 

For funeral arrangements please contact the parish office at (925)283-0272.