Catholic Requiem Mass Programme — Complete Template & Guide
By FuneralPress Editorial Team · 3 min read · Editorially reviewed 09/10/2026
The quick answer
For a Catholic funeral, agree the vigil, funeral liturgy and committal with the parish. If a Funeral Mass is planned, the priest supplies the approved order and helps select readings and music before the family prints its programme.
Begin with the officiating Catholic church
Before designing the booklet, ask for the approved running order and the exact wording the congregation wants printed. Confirm the service date, church address, minister’s name, language and burial arrangements. The family can prepare personal material while the church decides the worship order.
Confirm the form of the funeral celebration
Catholic funeral guidance distinguishes the vigil, funeral liturgy and committal. Ask the parish whether a Funeral Mass is planned and obtain the appropriate order. USCCB guidance describes Catholic rites in a US context; local arrangements and approved texts come from your Ghanaian parish.
In a Funeral Mass, the Liturgy of the Word uses Scripture readings; nonbiblical texts do not replace them. The Eucharistic celebration belongs to a Mass, while a liturgy without Mass has a different structure. Agree suitable music and any personal remembrance with the priest. The parish also supplies the final commendation and committal wording.
Prepare the material the church needs
- An approved biography with names and dates checked by the family.
- Scripture references and the required translation, with readers assigned.
- Hymn titles, numbers where used, and versions agreed with the choir or organist.
- Tribute speakers and their approved time allowances.
- The church and cemetery locations, transport arrangements and public contact.
- Any family acknowledgements the church agrees to include.
A planning sequence for the booklet
- Obtain the church’s final order before arranging headings and pages.
- Enter the approved service sequence and participant names in the booklet editor.
- Place personal tributes where the service leader has agreed. Text can also be included for reading privately without a live speech.
- Send a proof to the minister and a separate proof to the family organiser for factual checks.
- Correct the proof, download the unlocked final design and ask the printer for a sample before the full run.
Keep church and graveside instructions distinct
If a committal takes place at another location, show that location and the agreed transition clearly. Do not invent prayers or responses to complete an empty section. The relevant minister supplies the wording and identifies which parts are said by the congregation. Make the booklet easy to follow with readable type and clear participant labels.
Proofread hymn numbers and reader names as carefully as the cover. A polished layout cannot correct the wrong song version or an unapproved service order. Keep one dated final file with the family organiser and printer so earlier drafts are not printed accidentally.
Common questions
Is every Catholic funeral a Mass?
The parish determines the appropriate funeral celebration. Confirm whether the service is a Funeral Mass or a funeral liturgy without Mass.
Can a poem replace a Bible reading at Mass?
Catholic funeral guidance does not allow a nonbiblical reading to replace Scripture in the funeral Liturgy of the Word. Ask the priest about an appropriate separate place for personal material.
References and scope
- USCCB: readings in Christian funeral rites
Catholic guidance on Scripture and funeral rites; your Ghanaian parish approves its own programme.
- USCCB: music at funerals
Catholic liturgical music guidance; confirm the approved local selection with the parish.
