Collect Prayers for Funeral Mass

I. Ordinary Time, Advent, Christmas or Lent

A. (1.1) O God, almighty Father, our faith professes that your Son died and rose

again; mercifully grant, that through this mystery your servant N., who has

fallen asleep in Christ, may rejoice to rise again through him.

B. (1.2) O God, whose nature is always to forgive and to show mercy, we

humbly implore you for your servant N., whom you have called (this day) to

journey to you, and, since he (she) hoped and believed in you, grant that he

(she) may be led to our true homeland to delight in its everlasting joys.

C. (1.3) O God, who are mercy for sinners and the happiness of your saints,

give, we pray, to your servant N., for whom (today) we perform the fraternal

offices of burial, a share with your chosen ones in the blessedness you give,

so that on the day of resurrection, freed from the bonds of mortality,

he (she) may come before your face.

D. (1.4) O God, who have set a limit to this present life, so as to open up an

entry into eternity, we humbly beseech you, that by the grace of your mercy

you may command the name of your servant N. to be inscribed in the book

of life.

E. (1.5) O God, who alone are able to give life after death, free your servant N.

from all sins, that he (she), who believed in the Resurrection of your Christ,

may, when the day of resurrection comes, be united with you in glory.

II. Easter Time

A. (2.1) Listen kindly to our prayers, O Lord: as our faith in your Son,

raised from the dead, is deepened, may our hope of resurrection for your

departed servant N., also find new strength.

B. (2.2) O God, who through the ending of present things open up the

beginning of things to come, grant, we pray, that the soul of your servant N.

may be led by you to attain the inheritance of eternal redemption.

III. For Particular Circumstances

A. (3.1) For A Young Person—O God, who direct our life in all its moments,

we humbly entrust to you this your servant N., whom we mourn as one

whose life was completed in so short a time; grant that he (she) may

flourish, for ever young, in the happiness of your house.

B. (3.2) For an elderly person—God of mercy, look kindly on your servant N.,

who has set down the burden of his/her years. As he/she served you

faithfully throughout his/her life, may you give him/her the fullness of your

peace and joy. We give thanks for the lone life of N., now caught up in your

eternal love.

C. (3.3) For a Wife—Eternal God, you made the union of man and woman a

sign of the bond between Christ and the Church. Grant peace and mercy to

N., who was united in love with her husband. May the care and devotion of

her life on earth find a lasting reward in heaven. Look kindly on her

husband and family/children as now they turn to your compassion and love.

Strengthen their faith and lighten their loss.

D. (3.4) For a Husband—Eternal God, you made the union of man and woman

a sign of the bond between Christ and the Church. Grant peace and mercy to

N., who was united in love with his wife. May the care and devotion of his

life on earth find a lasting reward in heaven. Look kindly on his wife and

family/children as now they turn to your compassion and love. Strengthen

their faith and lighten their loss.

E. (3.5) A deceased non-Christian married to a Catholic—Almighty and faithful

Creator, all things are of your making, all people are shaped in your image.

We now entrust the soul of N. To your goodness. In your infinite wisdom

and power, work in him/her your merciful purpose, known to you alone from

the beginning of time. Console the hearts of those who love him/her in the

hope that all who trust in you will find peace and rest in your kingdom.

F. (3.6) After a long illness—O God, who called your servant N. to serve you

in affliction and sickness, grant, we pray, that he (she), who followed your

Son’s example of suffering, may also receive the reward of his glory.

G. (3.7) After a long illness—God of deliverance, your called our brother/sister

N. to serve you in weakness and pain, and gave him/her the grace of sharing

the cross of your Son. Reward his/her patience and forbearance, and grant

him/her the fullness of Christ’s victory.

H. (3.8) After a long illness—Most faithful God, lively is the courage of those

who hope in you. Your servant N. suffered greatly but placed his/her trust in

your mercy. Confident that the petition of those who mourn pierces the

clouds and finds an answer, we beg you, give rest to N. Do not remember

his/her sins but look upon his/her sufferings and grant him/her refreshment,

light and peace.

I. (3.9) For One Who Died Suddenly—Show us, Lord, the immense power of

your goodness, that, as we weep for our brother (sister) N., taken from us by

a sudden death, we may be confident that he (she) has passed over into your

eternal company.

J. (4.1) For one who died accidentally or violently—Lord our God, you are

always faithful and quick to show mercy. Our brother/sister N. was

suddenly [and violently] taken from us. Come swiftly to his/her aid, have

mercy on him/her, and comfort his/her family and friends by the power and

protection of the cross.

K. (4.2) For one who died by suicide—God, lover of souls, you hold dear what

you have made and spare all things, for they are yours. Look gently on your

servant N., and by the blood of the cross forgive his/her sins and failings.

Remember the faith of those who mourn and satisfy their longing for that

day when all will be made new again in Christ, our risen Lord.

L. (4.3) For one who died by suicide—Almighty God and Father of all, you

strengthen us by the mystery of the cross and with the sacrament of your

Son’s resurrection. Have mercy on our brother/sister N. Forgive all his/her

sins and grant him/her peace. May we who mourn this sudden death be

comforted and consoled by your power and protection.

IV. Prayers for the Ordained, the Religious or Lay Ministries

A. (5.1) A priest—Hear with favor our prayers, which we humbly offer, O Lord,

for the salvation of the soul of N., your servant and Priest, that he, who

devoted a faithful ministry to your name, may rejoice in the perpetual

company of your saints.

B. (5.2) A deacon—Grant, we pray, O merciful God, a share in eternal

happiness to the soul of N., your servant and Deacon, on whom you

bestowed the gift of ministering in your Church.

C. (5.3) A religious—Grant, we pray, almighty God, that the soul of your

servant N., who for love of Christ walked the way of perfect charity, may

rejoice in the coming of your glory and together with his brothers (her

sisters) may delight in the everlasting happiness of your Kingdom.

D. (5.4) An active layman (laywoman)—We humbly beseech your mercy, O

Lord, for your servant N., that, having worked tirelessly for the spread of the

Gospel, he (she) may merit to enter into the rewards of the Kingdom.

V. For the Funeral of a Baptized Child

A. (5.1) Most compassionate God, who in the counsels of your wisdom have

called this little child, N., to yourself on the very threshold of life, listen

kindly to our prayers and grant that one day we may inherit eternal life with

him (her), whom, by the grace of Baptism, you have adopted as your own

child and who we believe is dwelling even now in your Kingdom.

B. (5.2) O God, who know that our hearts are weighed down by grief at the

death of this young child, N., grant that, while we weep for him (her), who at

your bidding has departed this life so soon, we may have faith that he (she)

has gained an eternal home in heaven.

VI. For the Funeral of a Child Who Died before Baptism

A. (8.1) Receive the prayers of your faithful, Lord, and grant that those you

allow to be weighed down by their longing for the child taken from them

may be raised up by faith to hope in your compassion.

B. (8.2) O God, searcher of hearts and most loving consoler, who know the

faith of these parents, grant that, as they mourn their child, now departed

from this life, they may be assured that he (she) has been entrusted to your

divine compassion.