Funerals

Funeral Planning

In the event of the death of a loved one, please call the parish office at 763-424-8770. After office hours, dial the emergency number given in the voice mail message. The next steps would be to arrange the date and time for visitation and funeral in coordination with the parish and funeral home of your choice; and then meet with the priest and/or staff member(s) to plan the funeral liturgy.

Here is a helpful list of Frequently Asked Questions and the St. Gerard's funeral brochure.

Some of the choices you’ll be invited to make for your loved one’s Funeral Liturgy:

The Word of God - View a list of suggested Funeral Readings or visit the USCCB funeral readings webpage.
Music - View a list of suggested Funeral Music.

Readers (Old Testament, New Testament, Prayer of the Faithful) - We suggest choosing family or friends who can proclaim clearly and are comfortable in front of large groups of people. Be sure to give them a copy of the reading in advance. On arrival, the funeral assistant will acquaint the readers with the use of our microphones.

Gift Bearers - We suggest choosing two or more family members or friends to carry up the bread and wine for the Preparation of Gifts.

Eucharistic Ministers - Eucharist will be offered under both species. St. Gerard's Eucharistic Ministers are available, unless the family has Eucharistic Ministers who wish to serve. Be sure to notify the Pastoral Minister. They must be Catholic, and trained and commissioned from their home parish.

Remembrance - One family member is welcome to share Words of Remembrance following communion, with a suggested 3-5 minute maximum. If additional eulogizing is desired, we suggest these be done either at the wake service at the funeral home, or during the funeral luncheon.

Funeral Hospitality

Funeral hospitality is offered to families planning a funeral at St. Gerard's. A funeral luncheon or light refreshments are provided by the Funeral Hospitality Ministry.

Funeral Pre-Planning

This service is available to individuals who may wish to pre-plan their celebration. Funeral Pre-Planning Seminars are given at St. Gerard's throughout the year. (Watch for information in the bulletin, facebook, and the New & Events webpage.) Contact the parish office at 763-424-8770, with any questions.