Scheduling a Funeral

Parish Office:  (806) 358-2461

In the event of the death of a parishioner, St. Thomas would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family for your loss. We realize that at this time of loss, making plans is a difficult task and we want to assist you in making arrangements that will be of comfort to you and your loved one. The party responsible for making the funeral arrangements should immediately contact a funeral home.

The funeral home will work with the St. Thomas Funeral Coordinator to set a date and time for the funeral services. Once all the arrangements are made with the funeral home, an appointment will be set here at St. Thomas with the St. Thomas Funeral Coordinator to plan all the funeral services with the family.

Until you have a death, or while you wait to meet the parish funeral coordinator, consider the following information:

There are three parts of the Funeral Rites. The rites have three Liturgical parts; they are beautiful and convey hope and consolation and affirm our belief that, in Christ, there is no death. Through the rites, the Church commends the dead to God’s merciful love and pleads for the forgiveness of their sins and gives hope and consolation to the living. Each of the three parts have a specific purpose and should be carefully planned keeping the deceased in mind.

The Vigil Liturgy is a celebration for mourners to wait in prayer for the deceased. It is a time set aside to celebrate the deceased and their time on earth. It takes place in the church with a deacon as the presider. The service can include music, Liturgy of the Word, prayer, words of remembrance, viewing of the body and consolation of the deceased’s loved ones.

The Funeral Liturgy is the central liturgical celebration among all the Funeral Rites celebrated for a deceased Christian. The community gathers to give praise and thanks to God for Christ’s victory over sin and death, to commend the deceased to God’s tender mercy and compassion, and to seek strength in the proclamation of the paschal mystery. A Funeral Liturgy may take place within or outside of Mass.

Rite of Committal is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of the deceased member. When we commit the body to its resting place, the community express the hope that, with all those who have gone before marked with the sign of faith, the deceased awaits the glory of the resurrection.