The revised Funeral Liturgy, with its three components – Vigil, Mass with the Body Present, Committal and Farewell – invites personalization and participation by bereaved family and friends. If details such as cemetery selections are not handled well in advance, there is less time for the type of planning that makes meaningful participation in the Funeral Liturgy possible.

Catholics and their families often have questions about the Church’s position on matters relating to death, funeral, burial and cremation. The Catholic pre-need counselor, having been trained in these matters, is able to either answer questions or refer people to those who can.

Pre-need discussion is an opportunity for the welcoming home of those baptized Catholics who have not been active in the Church. The pre-need counselor is able to extend a welcome and direct individuals to the proper parishes and individuals who can be of assistance in their particular situation.

Because the Church’s position on cremation has changed and because there are liturgical implications involved in the selection of cremation, it is important to explore these issues fully so that informed decisions can be made.

 
"When my Father passed away, very unexpectedly, it was quite difficult for my siblings and I to make the necessary arrangements.

"My Father was 62 years young and full of life, it seemed. The emotional roller coaster we were on was devastating. Decisions had to be made and who knew what he wanted? Where he would want to be buried. We didn’t realize it at the time, but there were things we overlooked or wished we had done differently.

"I knew then, I never wanted our children in that situation. Which has led us to pre-planning. Not an easy thing to think about, harder to talk about, but still necessary. It allows us to think things through and make informed, careful choices.

"For us, the first choice was where to be buried. We chose Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Janesville. It’s a beautiful cemetery with a rural setting that offers many options for burials. We found the staff very helpful and caring and we feel comfortable with the decisions we made there. Pre-planning, at Mt. Olivet, has given us peace of mind."