When planning a funeral for a loved one or making arrangements for your own future needs, your community at St. Mary’s is here to support you through this difficult time.
If you’re organizing a funeral for someone who has recently passed or is nearing the end of their life, we suggest that you reach out to a mortuary first to start the planning process.
The mortuary will then work with our office to set the date for the service. If there’s no mortuary involved—common in cases of cremation—please contact our office directly at (714) 525-2500 to arrange the funeral details.
Please take a moment to review the “Planning a Catholic Christian Funeral” pamphlet provided below.
To schedule the date and time for the funeral, please contact the parish office.
Don’t forget to complete the “Funeral Selections” Form and submit it to the office. Thank you.
Since sung music within the funeral rites is “sung prayer,” live music and singing of Christian hymns and songs are encouraged. A parish cantor/soloist and/or instrumentalist can be assigned to the funeral liturgy if the family so desires. There is an additional charge.
The assigned cantor/soloist or instrumentalist will contact the designated family member to help in the selection of Christian hymns and songs for your loved one’s funeral. Please note that recorded music, popular songs and other types of secular music are not permitted during the funeral rites in the church (these are best done at the visitation at the mortuary the day or evening before the funeral).
Musicians other than the parish’s designated musicians generally are not allowed to serve as music ministers during funeral liturgies in the church, although there are rare exceptions (e.g., when a close family member or friend is a trained musician who works as a music minister in another Catholic parish). Please discuss this possibility with the parish’s assigned cantor/soloist or instrumentalist.
