On behalf of Fr. Nick Junker, our parish staff, and the entire community of St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Parish, we extend our sincere condolences to all who have lost a loved one. We pray that you may grieve with hope. Please, let us help you in these difficult moments.

We know that planning a funeral for a loved one can be a stressful, hectic, and sometimes overwhelming task. We will help you plan the ceremony, walk you through the entire process, and help answer whatever questions may come up.

To plan a funeral at St. Mary the Immaculate Conception Parish, please begin by contacting Fr. Nick Junker.

It is sometimes difficult to walk into a church with which we are unfamiliar, or that we have left behind. This is understandable.

We want your experience planning and attending your loved one's funeral at our parish to be a comfort to you. We promise to work with you to help you understand our Catholic funeral practices so that you can feel at home with us and with your loved one's faith commtment. We will, of course, pray, proclaim scripture, and share our faith in resurrected life through Jesus. We promise, however, that we will not use this sacred moment as an opportunity to proselytize, harass, or shame you. We will honor your loved one's life and faith, love you, and support you in your grief as best we can.

The Funeral Mass is especially significant for Catholics. In this liturgy of thanksgiving, we commend our deceased brother or sister to God and pray that, through the celebration of Eucharist, any sin that they may have committed in this world will not cling to them, but be forgiven by God in mercy. We count on this prayer as a help toward salvation.

It is a special sign of love and graciousness when family members who may not share our faith bring their loved ones to the Catholic Church for burial, as a sign of respect for the deceased Catholic's faith commitments. If you are in this situation, we honor you and we thank you for your generosity of spirit.

We encourage our members to play an active part in planning your funeral liturgy now while you are healthy. Call the Parish Office at 618.244.1559 to request planning materials and to set up an appointment with Fr. Nick Junker. He will be glad to help you understand the funeral rites of the Church and make decisions about services, readings, music, and more, so that your funeral will reflect your life of faith and assist your family, friends, and parish community in their time of grief. He will guide you in creating a plan, keep the finalized plan on file alongside the parish sacramental records, and provide you with copies to share with family members and those who will implement your funeral plan in time of need.

Advanced planning for the funeral liturgies can be especially important if you are the only Catholic in your family, or if those who will carry out your wishes are not Catholic or no longer actively live a Catholic life.