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Contact Us
Holy Cross Mortuary
Culver City
(310) 836-5500
holycrossmortuary.org
Holy Cross Cemetery
Culver City
(310) 836-5500
catholiccm.org
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Following the death of a loved one, the bereaved should contact a mortuary to begin making funeral arrangements. Once contact with the mortuary has been established, please call the parish office to plan the funeral Mass: 310-652-6477.
The Catholic funeral expresses our faith in Jesus' resurrection and hope for our own resurrection. There are two purposes for a Catholic funeral: 1) to pray for the salvation of the deceased person, and 2) to help lead the person's loved ones from grief to a deeper faith in the resurrection. We must keep in mind that the funeral Mass is governed by the rubrics of the Church's liturgy. We are not at liberty to make changes, or to introduce non-religious elements into the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. However, the vigil at the funeral home can provide ample time for "celebrations of life" or remembering the deceased with songs, symbols, traditions, eulogies, etc. as the family desires. Some of these things may also be done at the cemetery after the priest completes the Rite of Commital.
In years past, cremation was not permitted because it was seen as a denial of the resurrection of the human body. Today, the Catholic Church does permit cremation as long as it is not chosen for reasons that contradict our faith. If cremation of the remains is desired, this should take place after the funeral Mass. If cremation can not be delayed until after the funeral Mass, cremated remains can be brought to the church in a singular enclosed vessel (urn). Cremated remains must be properly buried in a cemetery or placed in a columbarium. This is meant to show respect and reverence for the human body and hope for the resurrection. It is forbidden to hold Catholic funeral rites unless the family plans to give the remains a proper burial. Even if a loved one has requested their ashes to be scattered or distributed, we have an obligation to bury our loved ones according to our belief in the resurrection of the body. It is neither unloving or disrespectful to the deceased to do something contrary to their wishes, but rather it is a spiritual work of mercy. What matters most is their eternal rest in God's presence, which is not at all affected if their exact wishes are not carried out during the funeral.
