Funeral Ministry

CLICK HERE to view the funeral obituary page.

CLICK HERE to view past live streamed funerals.

 

 

PLANNING A FUNERAL MASS OR FUNERAL PRAYER SERVICE: Saying Goodbye in Prayer

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.   –Mt 5:4

The death of a loved one is a life-changing event that requires many decisions to be made in a short amount of time. Staff at Pax Christi are here to guide and support you as you work with the funeral home, plan the funeral Mass or funeral prayer service, a meal, and a burial service. We continue to support you in the days and months following your loss.

We have provided information about the most common questions to guide you through many of your initial decisions. We will review these items with you at the funeral planning meeting.

Initial Call


When the death of a loved one occurs, an immediate family member or funeral home staff member should call our main number at 952-941-3150.  
During office hours, ask for the Director of Care and Support Ministry. If contact needs to be made after hours or on the weekends, again dial the main number and follow the prompts (pressing 6) to be connected to the person on call.

Funerals are celebrated for those who were members of the parish family of Pax Christi, members of the immediate family of a parishioner (spouse, parent, child or sibling) or residents of one of our local care centers. In other situations, a funeral may be celebrated at Pax Christi at the discretion of the pastor or associate pastor.

Funeral Costs


There are no set charges for a funeral. However, families are encouraged to make an offering to the church after the funeral. This helps defray the cost of the worship aid, luncheon, instrumentalist, and cantor. Donations are made directly to Pax Christi.

If additional musicians are requested, the family covers those added costs directly.

Funeral home staff must be present during the visitation and funeral service. Funeral home staff are responsible for the body or cremains, will greet your guests, manage flowers and cards (often with monetary donations), and distribute worship aids.

The Vigil for the Deceased


This may take place the night before at a local funeral home and/or on the day of the funeral at Pax Christi. We recommend having a minimum of 30 minutes for visitation prior to the Mass or service.  

Planning a Funeral Mass or a Funeral Prayer Service


Funerals can take place Monday thru Friday (based on building schedule and availability of a presider) with the exception of Holy Days.  Most families choose an 11:00am funeral at Pax Christi, with lunch immediately following at noon in the Dorothy Day Social Hall.  The Thomas Merton Chapel comfortably holds 90 people and provides a more intimate setting. All other funerals take place in the main worship space.

A Funeral Coordinator is here to assist you and your family as you plan or pre-plan a celebration of life. The coordinator will guide you through the entire process of selecting scriptures and music as well as be available the day of the funeral. A Funeral Assistant will also be present on the day of the funeral to prepare the church and assist with the liturgical needs.

Below is a link to our funeral planning guide to help in the planning a Funeral Mass.

Funeral Mass Planning Guide    

The Rite of Committal


This ceremony happens at the cemetery at the time of burial. Arrangements can be made for gravesite prayers during the planning meeting or at a later date. Pax Christi can arrange for a priest, deacon, or member of our pastoral staff to offer prayers at the gravesite.
Cremation is allowed by the Catholic Church. The cremated remains should be treated with as much respect as the body. The following link has some helpful information:  Clarification on Church Law Regarding Christian Burial and Cremation

What to Expect the Day of the Funeral


Staff and volunteers will be on hand to coordinate your service and luncheon hospitality.

During the visitation and luncheon, we can have memorial tables set up for flowers, photos, and mementos that capture the life of the deceased. Flowers can also be placed near the altar during the service. After the service we ask that you take your arrangements with you.

Special Requests


Guest priests are always welcome to preside or concelebrate at a funeral Mass, but must be arranged directly by the family. It is customary to offer an honorarium. Priests that preside outside the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis require a letter from their diocese stating they are a priest in good standing.

Request for cantors and/or instrumentalists outside of Pax Christi must be prearranged with the Director of Worship and Music, prior to the service.

If a video is requested, it must be downloaded onto a disk, using Microsoft Office, and brought in for testing in the days before the funeral. These cannot be tested for compatibility on the day of the funeral.
 

Funeral Hospitality


The Funeral Hospitality Ministry brings forth the caring presence of the community by providing the gift of a meal for family and friends following the funeral liturgy of a loved one.  During funeral planning with Pax Christi staff, family members arrive at an estimated number of guests for the meal.  The meal is prepared and served by parishioners with sandwiches provided by Pax Christi; salads and desserts are generously donated by Funeral Hospitality volunteers.  After the meal, the Funeral Hospitality volunteers cleanup and pack any leftovers; the family is encouraged to take home the leftovers to have on hand.

If you would prefer to use a caterer, they must be familiar with our kitchen. Caterers are responsible to do the set up, serving, and cleanup on the day of the funeral. Check with Care and Support Staff for suggested caterers.

Bereavement Aftercare


We recognize that not everyone mourns the loss of a loved one in the same way, and there is no timeline for grief.  In the months following a death, we remember and connect with bereaved parishioners in a variety of ways:

Bereavement materials are continually distributed to families in various ways.  Some resources are quite specific to the death one has experienced.  Others are about prayer, the various dimensions of grief, healing, and preparing for the challenges of a new normal without the person who died.  Information about grieving and healing is also available on the resource rack in the back of the worship space and on the kiosk inside Entrance #3.

Pax Christi partners with the Southwest Grief Coalition to provide support and education for those who are grieving.  Three series are offered each year, hosted in rotation by Pax Christi and four other area churches. Each series is seven weeks long; each weekly session consists of a light meal, an expert speaker exploring some dimension of grief, and facilitated small groups specific to particular losses.     

Pax Christi’s annual Memorial Mass is celebrated in early November near the Feast of All Souls.  All those who have experienced the death of a loved one within the year are personally invited to this special liturgical celebration of remembrance followed by a meal.  Names of all those whose funerals we celebrated at Pax Christi in the previous 12 months are read aloud during the Prayers of the Faithful at this Mass.

For more information about Pax Christi’s bereavement aftercare, contact the Care and Support Ministry.

STAFF CONTACTS


Director of Care and Support
Joan Miltenberger

952-405-7211
CLICK HERE TO EMAIL

Care and Support Coordinator
Kyle Finken
952-405-7231
CLICK HERE TO EMAIL

Director of Worship and Music
Laurie J Youngers
952-405-7240
CLICK HERE TO EMAIL







Pax Christi Catholic Community

12100 Pioneer Trail
Eden Prairie, MN 55347

952-941-3150

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