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Funerals
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Beth Shaverliturgystmarysblacksburg.orgDirector of Liturgy and Music
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A Funeral Liturgy--whether a funeral mass, a memorial service, or a graveside service--is about praising God for what God did through the one we love. Baptism joined us to Christ in his death and resurrection. Death, as Paul says, has no more power over us. That is our message. We live no longer ourselves but Christ is alive in us. In the funeral liturgy, we tell that story, how God became flesh in the Christian.
Life is sacrament: a visible sign of the invisible reality of life transformed by grace. Thus, the Christian is light, the word of God, bread from heaven to feed the world. Through the bonds of baptism, the Christian is shepherd, resurrection, way, truth, life, living water. The funeral is intended to be witness to that, to say, 'this is how God worked thru my mother, my spouse, my friend, my child, my colleague. This is how the world was saved by her actions, her presence, her smile. This is how the hungry were fed, strangers and enemies were loved, the sick were healed; this is how we knew Christ was present here, God-among-us, when s/he came to the aid of the least of our brothers and sisters.'
The funeral liturgy will tell the story of how your loved one was Christ for others. The scripture readings, the hymns, the prayers and the homily, any "words of remembrance" sung or spoken in the service, ought to have those stories, that kind of witness, at the ready: how was our brother or sister a sacrament of the invisible God in his/her life?
The beloved will never die. They, and we, will never die because God promised that. God will remember. What God remembers lives. What God remembers is. God is the God of the living. In shared hope, the community of St. Mary’s is praying for you at this time.
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If you are visiting this website following the loss of a loved one, Saint Mary’s community extends our condolences to your family. We are here to support you as you grieve and make funeral arrangments for your loved one. We pray you find strength in Christ’s presence.
Please contact the Parish Office at 540-552-1091, so that we may begin planning with you and your family.
St. Mary's Director of Liturgy will complete the appropriate paperwork with a member(s) of your family during a meeting time at your convenience. Before this meeting, we encourage you to consider selections from scripture, of music and family members you wish to invite to participate in Mass. It is helpful for a family member to bring any important documents, a favorite photo (digital or print) and noteworthy ideas or questions to this meeting. (Readings and Music are listed to the left.)
Though it is a difficult time, please take a few minutes to read the following article that will help you understand a Catholic Funeral. Overview of a Catholic Funeral