Funeral program
Catholic funeral Mass program
A Catholic funeral program follows the order of the funeral Mass set by the Order of Christian Funerals: the introductory rites, the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, the final commendation and the procession. The family usually chooses the readings, names the readers and the people who place the pall and bring up the gifts, and checks everything with the parish before printing.
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On this page
The examples on this page were written for TributePen. The people, names and details in them are invented: use them as a starting point, never as someone's real story.
The order of a Catholic funeral Mass
The structure comes from the Order of Christian Funerals, the Church's ritual for funerals. The parish decides the details, so treat this as the outline to bring to the planning meeting, not a final program.
| Part | What happens | What the program usually lists |
|---|---|---|
| Introductory rites | Greeting at the church door, sprinkling with holy water, placing of the pall, entrance procession and song, opening prayer | Names of the pall placers; entrance hymn |
| Liturgy of the Word | First reading, responsorial psalm, second reading, Gospel acclamation, Gospel, homily, prayer of the faithful | Each reading's reference and reader; psalm; celebrant for the homily |
| Liturgy of the Eucharist | Preparation of the gifts, Eucharistic prayer, Lord's Prayer, Communion | Gift bearers; hymns for the gifts and for Communion |
| Final commendation | Invitation to prayer, silence, song of farewell, prayer of commendation | Words of remembrance, if the parish allows them; song of farewell |
| Procession | The body is taken from the church to the place of committal | Recessional hymn; burial or committal details |
The pall is the white cloth placed over the casket at the start of the Mass, a reminder of the white garment of baptism. Family members or friends often place it; the parish tells you how many people can help.
When the funeral is celebrated outside Mass, the liturgy keeps the introductory rites, the readings and the final commendation, without the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The program is then shorter, but the same roles apply.
A sample program, inside page
Mass of Christian Burial
traditional, Catholic≈ 42 sec read aloudMass of Christian Burial
Reception of the Body and Placing of the Pall – Anthony and Lucia Ferraro
Entrance Hymn – "Be Not Afraid"
First Reading – Wisdom 3:1-9 – Maria Ferraro Kelly
Responsorial Psalm – Psalm 23
Second Reading – Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39 – Joseph Ferraro
Gospel Acclamation
Gospel – John 14:1-6 – Rev. Thomas Hale
Homily – Rev. Thomas Hale
Prayer of the Faithful – Gina Ferraro
Presentation of the Gifts – Sophia and Luca Ferraro, grandchildren
Communion Hymn – "Here I Am, Lord"
Words of Remembrance – Paul Ferraro
Final Commendation and Song of Farewell
Recessional Hymn – "How Great Thou Art"
Interment to follow at the parish cemetery
Readings families often choose
The readings come from the funeral options of the Lectionary, and the parish gives you the full list. Among the choices:
| Reading | Options often chosen |
|---|---|
| First reading (Old Testament) | Wisdom 3:1-9, Job 19:1, 23-27a, Isaiah 25:6a, 7-9, Lamentations 3:17-26, Daniel 12:1-3 |
| Responsorial psalm | Psalm 23, Psalm 27, Psalm 63, Psalm 103, Psalm 130 |
| Second reading (New Testament) | Romans 6:3-9, Romans 8:31b-35, 37-39, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, 2 Corinthians 5:1, 6-10, 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 |
| Gospel | Matthew 5:1-12a, Matthew 11:25-30, John 6:37-40, John 11:17-27, John 14:1-6 |
During the Easter season, the first reading is taken from the Acts of the Apostles or the Book of Revelation. Many programs print only the reference and the reader's name; some reprint the full text, in which case use the translation the parish reads from. More texts, including non-scriptural ones for a vigil or a reception, are on funeral readings.
Roles the family can fill
- Pall placers: often two to six close relatives or friends.
- Readers for the first and second readings: choose people who can read in public calmly; the parish can supply a lector if no one feels able to.
- Prayer of the faithful: sometimes read by a family member, from intentions prepared with the parish.
- Gift bearers: often grandchildren or godchildren, who carry the bread and wine to the altar.
- Pallbearers: listed separately, usually on the back panel.
- Words of remembrance: one person, briefly, if the parish permits it.
Words of remembrance and the eulogy
At a funeral Mass, the homily belongs to the priest or deacon and is not a eulogy. The Order of Christian Funerals allows a member or friend of the family to speak in remembrance before the final commendation. Parishes set their own limits: many allow one speaker for a few minutes and ask for the text in advance. If several people want to speak, or the tribute is long, the vigil (the wake service), the reception or the graveside is the usual place. Help with a short text is in how to write a eulogy and short eulogy examples.
Cover and back panel
Catholic cover
traditional, CatholicMass of Christian Burial
Rosa Maria Ferraro
June 2, 1939 – October 6, 2026
Thursday, October 15, 2026, 10:00 a.m.
The parish church, Providence, Rhode Island
Back panel
traditional, CatholicEternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. Amen.
Pallbearers: Anthony Ferraro, Joseph Ferraro, Michael Kelly, Daniel Russo, Luca Ferraro, Peter Conti
The family thanks you for your prayers and your presence. Please join us after the burial for lunch in the parish hall.
Some parishes also ask that programs include the guidelines for receiving Communion that the U.S. bishops publish for Catholics and guests; ask the parish office whether they want them printed and for the exact text.
Make the program
- Agree on the readings, readers, music and words of remembrance with the parish.
- Type the order above into the order of service field of the free printable funeral program template, one part per line, with a dash before each name. It prints on one US Letter sheet, folded in half, and you can download the wording for Word.
- Have someone who was not involved proofread every name, date and reading reference.
If finding the words is the hard part, the personalized funeral program for $19 writes the cover lines, a short life story, the order of service with each person's name and the family's thanks from your answers, ready to open in the same template. For other traditions, see order of service examples.
Common questions
What is the order of a Catholic funeral Mass?
Introductory rites (greeting, sprinkling with holy water, placing of the pall, entrance song, opening prayer), Liturgy of the Word (readings, psalm, Gospel, homily, prayer of the faithful), Liturgy of the Eucharist, final commendation (with the song of farewell), then the procession to the place of committal.
Can someone give a eulogy at a Catholic funeral Mass?
The homily is given by the priest or deacon and is not a eulogy. The Order of Christian Funerals allows a family member or friend to speak in remembrance before the final commendation, and many parishes limit this to one short speaker and ask to see the text first. Longer tributes are often given at the vigil, the reception or the cemetery.
Who chooses the readings for a Catholic funeral?
The family, with the priest or the parish funeral coordinator, from the funeral readings of the Lectionary. The Gospel is proclaimed by the priest or deacon; family members or friends can read the first and second readings.
What is the difference between a Mass of Christian Burial and a funeral Mass?
They are two names for the same celebration. Programs use either one on the cover, with "In Loving Memory" or the person's full name.
Related guides
- Free editable funeral program templateBuild and print a four-panel program in your browser.
- Funeral order of service examplesSample orders for church, Catholic, graveside and celebration services.
- Funeral readingsScripture, a classic prose passage and original readings you may print.
- Religious sympathy messagesFaith-based wording for Christian, Catholic, Jewish and Muslim families.
Would you rather not do this yourself?
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