Funeral Information
Of all life’s experiences, the death of a loved one is often the most difficult and challenging thing to face. All Saints Catholic Church sincerely understands the pain and sorrow endured by families at this time. We offer our deepest sympathy and remember your loved one and your family in prayer. We also want to assist you in planning the funeral Mass for your loved one. Our hope is that this information will help you in doing that and bring comfort to you and your family during this time.
Planning a funeral
The first step is to contact the parish office at 952.469.4481 to inform the parish of the death. We will work with you and the funeral director to identify a date for the funeral. Please have 2-3 options in mind for funeral dates. Funerals are generally available Mondays through Fridays and typically start at 11:30am.
The first step is to contact the parish office at 952.469.4481 to inform the parish of the death. We will work with you and the funeral director to identify a date for the funeral. Please have 2-3 options in mind for funeral dates. Funerals are generally available Mondays through Fridays and typically start at 11:30am.
When the funeral Mass is scheduled, we will also set a date and time for the planning meeting with parish staff. Plan for the meeting to last approximately one hour.
Church Policy on Cremation
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith recently issued a new instruction on Christian burial, with a particular emphasis on ashes and cremation. The document affirms the Church’s traditional preference for burial of bodies of the deceased, while making clear that cremation is a legitimate choice when it is done for sanitary, economic, or social reasons, and it is not chosen out of a denial of Christian doctrine on the resurrection of the body.
The document issues a number of directives about cremation:
The document issues a number of directives about cremation:
- Cremation must never violate the explicitly-stated or the reasonably inferable wishes of the deceased faithful.
- Scandal and religious indifferentism must be avoided in the disposition of the ashes.
- Ashes of the faithful must be laid to rest in a sacred place, that is, in a cemetery or other dedicated place for this purpose.
- Ashes may not be scattered, reserved in a private home, divided among family members, or preserved in mementos or jewelry.
These directives are clarifications of the already existing laws of the Church, and so they are consistent with the current policy of the Archdiocese.
The document provides a reminder that these restrictions on the “reservation of the ashes of the departed in a sacred place ensure that they are not excluded from the prayers and remembrance of their family or the Christian community. It prevents the faithful departed from being forgotten, or their remains from being shown a lack of respect, which eventuality is possible, most especially once the immediately subsequent generation has too passed away. Also it prevents any unfitting or superstitious practices.”
The document provides a reminder that these restrictions on the “reservation of the ashes of the departed in a sacred place ensure that they are not excluded from the prayers and remembrance of their family or the Christian community. It prevents the faithful departed from being forgotten, or their remains from being shown a lack of respect, which eventuality is possible, most especially once the immediately subsequent generation has too passed away. Also it prevents any unfitting or superstitious practices.”