The Church calls each member of Christ’s Body—Priest, Deacon, layperson—to participate in the ministry of consolation: to care for the dying, to pray for the dead, to comfort those who mourn (Order of Christian Funerals, 8).

This English edition of the Order of Christian Funerals has been updated to include the proper readings from the 1998 Lectionary for Mass, proper texts from the third edition of The Roman Missal, and the Appendix for Cremation. It also includes the ritual text for the Vigil and related rites and prayers, the Funeral Liturgy, the Rite of Committal, the funeral rites for children, the Office for the Dead.

The design of this beautifully bound, gold-stamped ritual book displays the ritual and Scripture texts with dignity and clarity for those who proclaim them. This ritual book contains:

• • large, easy-to-read type printed in two colors
• • a design that eliminates page turns wherever possible
• • acid-free paper to eliminate discoloration
• • cover material for durability
• • three ribbons to mark pages with ease and dignity
• • six beautiful wood block prints by Br. Martin Erspamer, OSB