GENERAL

Please give some thought to whether members of the family should bear the coffin into church. This means either carrying the coffin into church or the Cemetery/Crematorium Chapel, or pushing it in on a coffin stand.

The funeral director will always advise you of this. Bearers must be physically fit and strong. Your health and safety is our concern at all times.

Our advice would be to leave it to the professionals. We understand people want to do all they can for their loved one, but on the day, the best thing you can do is to think and pray for your loved one. However, if this is your wish, the funeral directors will always help.

You can have bagpipes and/or drums played before or after the service if you wish. The funeral directors will have information of local people who would provide a service for this.

It is traditional that any flowers on the coffin be taken off as the coffin is taken into church. This is especially for a Requiem Mass where a book of the Gospels, a Crucifix and a Pall may be placed on the coffin. If you prefer for family flowers to be kept on the coffin, the priest will always oblige.

All nationalist flags will be taken off the coffin when it enters the church. The only exception will be for those of the armed forces or civil services for whom the service is being offered, when there is to be members of those services present who wish to have a salute or some form of guard at the end of the service. The flag of the regiment or service will be allowed to remain on the coffin.

It is permissible for personal items to remain on the coffin if you so wish. For example, a football shirt if the person played football for their local team; or a favourite hat or scarf; anything personal. A Photograph of the loved one is also permissible.

Can be placed on the coffin, or placed on a table or in a basket by the side of the coffin if there are lots of Masses to be said for that person.

Give some thought to who you would like to read the readings at your service. Family members and friends are welcome.

If you are having a Requiem Mass, give some thought whether anyone would like to take the gifts of bread and wine to the Altar at the preparation of the Altar. Two people are required. This is optional however; the priest could simply have everything by his side, should people feel they wouldn't like to do this on the day.

At the end of the service there is an opportunity for a family member or friend to say a few words. Two to three minutes would suffice. The Eulogy should be well prepared and rehearsed before being delivered on the day. It is a hard thing for anyone who was close to the deceased to do, so it's best to get someone to do it on behalf of the family. The priest is well used to doing this and would be willing to help. In that case, a copy of the Eulogy should be given to him in plenty of time.

If you are having the Committal at the Crematorium Chapel, why not consider having the Eulogy there where there would be more time; or indeed, why not do it at the reception afterwards. The Eulogy is more personal than a public service and would be much better done in a more informal setting where family and friends are more relaxed.

If you have any personal readings, poems and the like you want read in church; these would be done as part of the Eulogy.

Please note that the Eulogy is not strictly part of the Funeral service and is to be discouraged, but the priest will oblige upon request . If he has any reservations, he will ask you to consider a more suitable time to have the Eulogy. There are plenty of opportunities for this and he will be happy to help all he can to make you feel comfortable with your arrangements.