“The word goodbye—originally “God-be-with-ye” or “Go-with-God” – was a recognition that God was a significant part of the going… there was strength in remembering that the One who gave and cherished life would be there to protect and to console. Goodbye was a blessing of love.”  (Praying our Goodbyes, Joyce Rupp, osm, p.17)

Our ministry calls us to kinship -- to deep communion -- as we journey together in grief.
We extend the arms of our larger faith community to those grieving the loss of loved ones.

Team members serve by welcoming family and friends of the deceased; by guiding those who will participate in the funeral mass; by handing out tissues; and by listening and sharing our presence with one another.

Team members also arrive 60-90 minutes early to prepare the vessels, books, and arrange the Church environment for the funeral mass; and assist the priest throughout the mass. We also restore the Church to its standard environment after the mass.

Some of us also serve as Family Facilitators. We assist the family with scriptural and musical selections, and help them to personalize the funeral mass within the liturgical structure. We communicate with the priest, the parish office, the musicians, and the mortuary personnel to provide a well-organized and meaningful liturgy. We hope to ease the family's stress as much as possible during this difficult time of grief.