Funeral Readings

At mass we listen to the Word of God.
The readings at a Funeral Mass remind us that at the centre
of our faith is the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The readings strengthen our hope of being gathered together
in God’s kingdom and they encourage us to witness to the
Christian way of life.
The readings tell us of God’s designs for a world in which
suffering and death will be no more.
A careful selection and use of readings from Scripture for
the funeral will provide the family and the community with
an opportunity to hear God speak to them in their needs,
sorrows, fears and hopes.

We encourage a member of the family to do
a reading at the
Reception of the Remains at the Church,
which normally takes place the evening
before the funeral mass.

For the Funeral Mass itself
you can choose the first reading from
one of the readings from the Old Testament.

The Responsorial Psalm is normally sung.
However if it is not being sung you can
choose a Psalm.

The second reading should be choosen
from the New Testament.

Please choose 4-6 prayers for the Prayers of the Faithful

Tips for the Reader

The following are a few tips which the reader may find helpful:

1. Practice the reading a number of times the night before the mass
2. Ensure that you know which reading you are proclaiming
3. Read slowly and clearly - try not to rush through the reading
4. Make sure you have the reading with you when you come to the Church
5. Speak clearly into the microphone - your mouth should be about six inches away from the microphone when you are speaking into it