In him the hope of blessed resurrection has dawned,
that those saddened by the certainty of dying
might be consoled by the promise of immortality to come.
Indeed for your faithful, Lord,
life is changed not ended,
and, when this earthly dwelling turns to dust,
an eternal dwelling is made ready for them in heaven.
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Preface I for the Dead, The Roman Missal
Planning Guide
Please download this funeral planning guide and fill in as much of the information as possible. Please see the sections below for questions about funeral readings and hymns. When finished filling out the planning guide, please save it and send it to funerals@ottawacatholic.org.
Funeral Readings
Click below to see options for funeral readings.
During the funeral liturgy, the readings from the Sacred Scripture console, challenge, and inspire hope in the mercy and love of God for the deceased. There may be either one or two readings, a responsorial psalm, and a reading from the Holy Gospel. The first reading comes from the Old Testament, except during the Easter Season, when it is taken from the New Testament. The second reading always comes from the New Testament.
Grief Assistance
Many people find grief support groups very helpful as they move through the grieving process.
Benefits of attending grief support groups:
Emotional and physical support - Permission to grieve
Somewhere safe to talk - Sharing your own experience
Coping skills - Companionship
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Grief is a person’s natural reaction to loss. It can cause conflicting feelings caused by the end of or change in what’s familiar. Grief can show up after experiencing a normal loss after a minor setback.
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Following is a list of some leading causes of grief outside of a loved one’s death:
Estrangement - Financial Loss - Illness or Injury - Relinquishment - Institutional Loss
Death of a Pet - Career Loss - Loss of a Limb - Multiple Losses - Relationship Loss - Holidays
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Initial one-on-one meetings are also available. These can be done in the home or one of the OSF hospitals. There is no cost to attend group or one-on-one meetings.
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For more information, call Kathy Steinz MHA, B.Sc(Psych),GC-C | Bereavement Coordinator at (815) 433-6091 or (815)343-5891