Making Funeral Arrangements

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When a Loved One Passes

STEP ONE

Contact Your Parish

While the funeral home might need to be contacted immediately following a death, the first call when actually making the funeral arrangements should be to your parish. Your parish community has trained pastoral ministers available for liturgical funeral planning at the time of the funeral and with post-funeral grief ministry.

Through baptism, all are made one in Christ. Therefore, at the time of our death, each of us is entitled to Catholic burial from a parish community. The family or friends of the deceased simply need to request a Catholic funeral by contacting the parish priest or pastoral staff.

Step Two

Make Arrangements With Catholic Cemeteries

The Family Service Advisors at the Catholic Cemeteries will assist you with all your cemetery needs with care and compassion. They are available during normal business hours and appointments are not necessary. 48-hour notice and a signed committal verification is required prior to all services at the Catholic Cemeteries of Toledo. Burial space, vault and professional fees must be paid in full prior to the day of the cemetery service. There are four cemetery issues that must be arranged for at a time of need.

Choose a Cemetery and Obtain Burial Rights: Decide which cemetery to use and obtain your burial rights. Your choices for burial rights are:

  • In-ground - Traditional grave or lawn crypt (interment)
  • Above ground - Community or private mausoleum (entombment)
  • Cremains burial (inurnment) either in-ground or above.


Pay Professional Fees: This is for opening and closing the chosen burial space.

Choose a Burial Vault: This is optional.

Celebrate the Legacy: Choose the memorialization you'd like for your loved one.

STEP THREE

Work With the Funeral Director

The funeral director provides for the coordination of the three liturgical elements (Vigil, Funeral Mass, Committal) with the parish ministers and the Catholic cemetery staff. The director also provides tangible goods and services such as:

  • Casket
  • Embalming (if requested)
  • Cremation arrangements (if this is your preference within the Church's guidelines)
  • Filing of legal documents
  • Obituary notices in newspapers
  • Cortege escorts
  • Other professional services

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