Tuesday, September 15, 2026
With love.
In hope.
The Funeral Mass of
Dolores Margaret Mary Finegan
Hello Friends. We are honored that you would join us in remembering and honoring our beloved daughter, Dolores.
Below is a guide put together to help you follow the prayers, readings, and music as we gather to entrust Dolores to God. Whether you are Catholic or not, it does not matter. We are so glad you are here and we hope that this resource will be helpful for you.
Use this page to prepare your hearts before you come or you are welcome to use it to follow along during the funeral. We just ask that you handle your phone as little as possible, only using it to sing along with the songs or follow along with the parts of the mass. We want you to be present with us as we honor our little Dolores.
There is so much symbolism and meaning behind the design of a Catholic funeral mass and we have put a lot of intentionality in our choices. Below we have also included details and insight into some of that meaning.
Gathering in love
Before Mass · settle in and prepare your hearts
I Will Rise
Prelude
There's a peace I've come to know Though my heart and flesh may fail There's an anchor for my soul I can say "It is well" Jesus has overcome And the grave is overwhelmed The victory is won He is risen from the dead
And I will rise when He calls my name No more sorrow, no more pain I will rise on eagles' wings Before my God fall on my knees And rise I will rise
There's a day that's drawing near When this darkness breaks to light And the shadows disappear And my faith shall be my eyes Jesus has overcome And the grave is overwhelmed The victory is won He is risen from the dead
And I will rise when He calls my name No more sorrow, no more pain I will rise on eagles' wings Before my God fall on my knees And rise I will rise
And I hear the voice of many angels sing, "Worthy is the Lamb" And I hear the cry of every longing heart, "Worthy is the Lamb" And I hear the voice of many angels sing, "Worthy is the Lamb" And I hear the cry of every longing heart, "Worthy is the Lamb"
And I will rise when He calls my name No more sorrow, no more pain I will rise on eagles' wings Before my God fall on my knees And rise I will rise
Receiving Dolores
Please stand as the procession begins.
At the entrance, Dolores’s casket is received with holy water and a white pall. A crucifix is traditionally brought by the family and placed on the casket. Our family will accompany her as we process down the aisle to the front of the Church. Dolores’ casket will be placed at the front of the church, with flowers and the light of the Paschal candle.
Water, a white garment, and Easter light
These signs recall Dolores’s Baptism. The holy water and white pall remember her life in Christ; the Paschal candle speaks of his Resurrection. We bring both our grief and our hope into this prayer.
Her casket, made with prayer
Dolores’s casket was handcrafted through Trappist Caskets, the ministry of the monks of New Melleray Abbey in Iowa. Each casket is individually handcrafted and prayed over as the monks build them. For our family, that prayerful care is part of the tenderness with which we entrust her to God.
About Trappist Caskets ↗Our flowers for Mary
Jen and I will also offer flowers before the Pieta statue on the right side of the Altar. Dolores passed away held in Jen’s arms who was then held in mine. There is a statue we have at home that is Joseph holding Mary holding baby Jesus. This statue means a lot more to us after that moment of her passing, as we lived it out personally. Thus, we wanted to entrust Dolores to the motherly care of Mary, who stood beside Jesus at the Cross where a “sword pierced her heart” as she watched her son die.
The crucifix from our wedding
The crucifix accompanying Dolores is the one we held and placed on the altar at our wedding. It connects the beginning of our marriage with the faith in which we now entrust our daughter to Christ. The crucifix is a symbol of our love and union with God and hangs in our bedroom.
O God Beyond All Praising
Entrance hymn
O God beyond all praising, We worship you today And sing the love amazing That songs cannot repay; For we can only wonder At every gift you send, At blessings without number And mercies without end: We lift our hearts before you And wait upon your word, We honour and adore you, Our great and mighty Lord.
The flower of earthly splendor In time must surely die, Its fragile bloom surrender To you, the Lord most high; But hidden from all nature The eternal seed is sown Though small in mortal stature, To heaven's garden grown: For Christ the man from heaven From death has set us free, And we through him are given The final victory!
Then hear, O gracious Saviour, Accept the love we bring, That we who know your favour May serve you as our king; And whether our tomorrows Be filled with good or ill, We'll triumph through our sorrows And rise to bless you still: To marvel at your beauty And glory in your ways, And make a joyful duty Our sacrifice of praise.
The opening prayer
Remain standing as Father gathers our prayers into the opening prayer.
Amen.
Eulogy
Before we begin with the Readings and the rest of the mass, the Eulogy is given. This helps paint a picture of who Dolores is and the heart of our family before we enter into honoring her through the mass. Patrick will be giving the Eulogy.
Listening to the Word
Please be seated for the reading and Psalm.
The first reading
Read by Dewahn Risper
Lamentations 3:22–26
The LORD’s acts of mercy are not exhausted, his compassion is not spent;
They are renewed each morning— great is your faithfulness!
The LORD is my portion, I tell myself, therefore I will hope in him.
The LORD is good to those who trust in him, to the one that seeks him;
It is good to hope in silence for the LORD’s deliverance.
Thanks be to God.
The responsorial Psalm
Psalm 42:2, 3, 5cdef; 43:3, 4, 5
Join the cantor in the repeated refrain.
My soul is thirsting for the living God: when shall I see him face to face?
As the deer longs for streams of water, so my soul longs for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When can I enter and see the face of God?
When I would cross over to the shrine of the Mighty One, to the house of God, Amid loud cries of thanksgiving, with the multitude keeping festival.
Send your light and your fidelity, that they may be my guide; Let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place of your dwelling,
That I may come to the altar of God, to God, my joy, my delight. Then I will praise you with the harp, O God, my God.
Why are you downcast, my soul? Why do you groan within me? Wait for God, for I shall again praise him, my savior and my God.
Repeat the refrain after each stanza, following the cantor.
The Gospel
Please stand for the Gospel acclamation.
John 6:37–40
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me, and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me, that I should not lose anything of what he gave me, but that I should raise it [on] the last day.
For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him may have eternal life, and I shall raise him [on] the last day.”
Why we stand for the Gospel
We stand to receive Christ’s words with reverence. A small sign of the cross on the forehead, lips, and heart is a prayer that his words may shape our thoughts, speech, and love.
The homily
Please be seated.
Fr. Michael will give a reflection on Scripture, Dolores, and the hope we share in Christ.
The Universal Prayers of the Church
Please stand as we pray together.
Megan Martin, Dolores’ godmother and Patrick’s sister will lead us in the prayers of the faithful. These are petitions said at every mass. There are special petitions that the church has written for a funeral mass, which is what we will be using. Join in the response, “Lord, hear our prayer” after each prayer.
Lord, hear our prayer.
Liturgy of the Eucharist
Please be seated as the gifts are prepared.
Members of our family bring forward the bread and wine.
Shepherd Me, O God
Preparation of the gifts
Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life. God is my shepherd, so nothing shall I want, I rest in the meadows of faithfulness and love, I walk by the quiet waters of peace.
Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life. Gently you raise me and heal my weary soul, you lead me by pathways of righteousness and truth, my spirit shall sing the music of your name.
Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life. Though I should wander the valley of death, I fear no evil, for you are at my side, your rod and your staff, my comfort and my hope.
Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life. You have set me a banquet of love in the face of hatred, crowning me with love beyond my pow'r to hold.
Shepherd me, O God, beyond my wants, beyond my fears, from death into life. Surely your kindness and mercy follow me all the days of my life; I will dwell in the house of my God for evermore.
Why we chose Shepherd Me O God
A beautiful and sorrowful song, it also has an uplifting feel to the music. It is written from Psalm 23. We chose this song for several reasons. One inspiration was the verse that God spoke to Jen through pregnancy and Dolores’ life: The story of the shepherd leaving the 99 sheep searching for the one lost sheep (from Matthew 18) “...it is not the will of your heavenly Father that one of these little ones be lost.” There are also some beautiful lyrics in this song: “You have set me a banquet of love in the face of hatred, crowning me with love beyond my pow'r to hold”. Even in our sorrow and despair, God will shower us with love and grace, which has been very true for us. We could probably write a full post reflecting on this song, but that’s enough for now.
Why we bring these gifts
These simple gifts become part of the Church’s great prayer of thanksgiving. Our sorrow and gratitude are brought to Christ, whose death and Resurrection are at the heart of this Mass.
The Eucharistic Prayer
Stand or kneel with the congregation, as you are able.
Join in the Holy, Holy, the Memorial Acclamation, and the Great Amen, following the cantor and celebrant.
The Lord’s Prayer
Please stand. We pray together.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Listen as Father continues the prayer, then join the congregation in its response.
The Sign of Peace
At Father’s invitation, offer a simple sign of peace to those nearby.
Lamb of God
Join the cantor as the bread is broken and we prepare for Communion.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.
Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us peace.
In communion with Christ
A note about communion
Catholics who are prepared to receive may come forward for Holy Communion. If you are not receiving, you are welcome to remain in your pew in prayer or come forward for a blessing with your arms crossed over your chest.
Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence
Communion · first song
Let all mortal flesh keep silence, and with fear and trembling stand; Ponder nothing earthly-minded, for with blessing in his Hand Christ our God to earth descendeth, Comes, our homage to demand.
King of kings, yet born of Mary, as of old on earth he stood, Lord of lords, in human vesture – in the body and the blood – He will give to all the faithful his own self for heavenly food.
Rank on rank the host of heaven spreads its vanguard on the way, As the Light of Light, descending from the realms of endless day, Comes, the powers of hell may vanquish, as the darkness clears away.
At his feet the six-winged seraph-cherubim, with sleepless eye, Veil their faces to the Presence, as with ceaseless voice they cry, "Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Lord Most High."
The King of Love My Shepherd Is
Communion · second song
The King of love my shepherd is, Whose goodness fails me never, I nothing lack if I am his, And he is mine forever.
Confused and foolish I have strayed But yet in love he sought me And on his shoulder gently laid And home, rejoicing, brought me
How can my heart turn away? Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you. You are my song and my strength Jesus, I love you.
Where streams of living water flow With gentle care he leads me, And where the verdant pastures grow, With bread of heav'n he feeds me.
How can my heart turn away? Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you. You are my song and my strength Jesus, I love you.
How can my heart turn away? Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I love you. You are my song and my strength Jesus, I love you.
And so through all my earthly days Your goodness fails me never: Good Shepherd, may I sing your praise Within your house forever
© 2013 Words and Music by Sarah Kroger and Sarah Hart
What Catholics believe about Communion
For Catholics, the Eucharist is the physical manifestation of the Body and Blood of Christ, not only a symbol. This is why we ask those who need to go to confession or who aren’t catholic refrain from receiving. Receiving Communion expresses communion with Christ and the Catholic Church. Remaining in silence and prayer is a deeply respectful way to participate when you are not receiving.
Song Selection
While we are here to honor Dolores and her life in this mass, ultimately her life and this mass are meant to point us to Jesus and His heart. Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence is a very old hymn, but really speaks to our hearts in its beauty. It realigns us to Jesus and His sacrifice; a powerful hymn to reflect on as we receive Jesus’ body and blood physically and spiritually. Our second hymn is another song pointing back to Matt 18 and a call to return to Him. It is a song we both love.
Prayer after Communion
Please stand when invited.
Amen.
Entrusting Dolores to God
Remain standing for the final commendation.
We pause in prayer as Dolores’s body is honored with incense and Father offers the Church’s farewell.
Litany of the Saints
Final commendation
The names our family chose
These names hold particular meaning in our family and story. Saint names we chose include names from our lost babies from miscarriage and other names that have beautiful meaning to us. This is a beautiful way to ask Dolores, our babies, and other saints to pray for us. Names you will hear:
- Saint Michael
- Saint Anthony
- Saint Isabella
- Margaret Mary
- Maura Grace
- Leo Francis
- Saint Paul
- Saint Mathias
- Saint Avila
- Saint Dolores
- Holy Mary
- All you little babies
Incense and remembrance
The incense honors the body washed in Baptism and expresses our prayers rising to God. Dolores’s name will also be entered in Our Lady of Loreto’s Book of Remembrance. This was a tradition started by the original pastor of this parish, Fr. Ed.
Accompanying her with love
Follow the family and casket as directed.
Be Thou My Vision
Sending hymn
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art: Thou my best thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my wisdom, and Thou my true word; I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord: Thou my great Father, I Thy true son, Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Riches I heed not, or man’s empty praise, Thou mine inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
Flowers and our final procession
We will do something a little unique to the traditional Catholic Funeral Mass. Fr. Michael will provide instruction when the time has come.
At the conclusion of the Liturgy, our family will process to the back of the Church and out the doors. Everyone will file out of their pews and follow us outside. The casket will pause at the Star of Mary in the plaza. Once you get outside, you will be invited to surround us and Dolores and then line the path we will take to the funeral coach. This will be our send-off for her, especially for those who will not be able to be at the reception or burial. You are invited to bring a stemmed flower of your choosing – whatever speaks to you. If you have brought a stemmed flower, you may place it with Dolores or hand it to one of us.
Gathering in the church hall
After the funeral Mass · before the burial
Please join our family for a reception in the church hall following the funeral Mass. After the reception, we will go to the cemetery for Dolores’s burial.
At her resting place
At the cemetery · following the reception in the church hall
Those joining us at the cemetery will gather for the Rite of Committal: Scripture, prayer, and the reverent placing of Dolores’s body in its resting place, in hope of the resurrection.
Salve Regina
Traditional Latin Marian antiphon · Gregorian chant
Salve, Regina, mater misericordiae, vita, dulcedo et spes nostra, salve. Ad te clamamus, exsules filii Hevae. Ad te suspiramus, gementes et flentes in hac lacrimarum valle.
Eia ergo, advocata nostra, illos tuos misericordes oculos ad nos converte. Et Jesum, benedictum fructum ventris tui, nobis post hoc exsilium ostende.
O clemens, O pia, O dulcis Virgo Maria.
A prayer with Mary
The Salve Regina is the Church’s traditional prayer to Mary, asking for her mercy, companionship, and intercession. The traditional Latin words are above; follow Father’s lead in the sung language and setting.
Her life was brief.
Her love remains.
Thank you for surrounding Dolores and our family with your presence, your prayer, and your love.
Return to the beginning ↑