Funerals

Arrangements

We encourage the family to make the necessary arrangements through the Funeral Home of their choice.
The Funeral Director contacts the Parish Office immediately to confirm arrangements; they are subject to the approval of the Parish Priest.
Desired dates and times are subject to the schedule of the Fathers. Not all resident Fathers are able to participate in active ministry.
The family is free to request a particular priest. The Parish Priest will assign him, or another priest who is available.
It is our custom to list “Basilian Fathers officiating” in the obituary etc.

Funeral Rites

The Funeral Rites are subject to the liturgical prescriptions and customs of the Ukrainian Catholic Church.
Accordingly, foreign music is not permitted in Church.
The family is free to choose the following:
- the number of services (Parastas, Funeral Divine Liturgy, or both)
- the location of the Parastas (in Church or at the Funeral Home)
- the language(s) of the service(s) and sermon (Ukrainian, English, or bilingual)
- the Epistle reading (from the Epistles for the dead or another epistle reading)
- the family is free to request someone to sing or read the Epistle. In such case, the cantor must be informed beforehand.
The family is free to request their own cantor, providing that this person is a qualified cantor of the Ukrainian Church. Otherwise, the Church will select their own cantor.
The family is encouraged to promptly provide the officiating priest with biographical information for his sermon.
Eulogies are not read by the laity in our Church. We encourage the family to share their memories during the dinner (or after the panakhyda, only if celebrated at the funeral chapel).
Casket spray is permitted at all times during the funeral services. Flowers are permitted in Church.
Cremated remains are not to be present in the church. Funerals in church may be celebrated without such remains or with the remains in the funeral chapels.

Fees and Donations

‘Stole Fees’ have been set by the Metropolitan-Archbishop. Cheques should be made-out to “Basilian Fathers”
Accordingly, it is not appropriate to inquire about the fee with the priest or parish office.
The cantor’s fee is separate. The Funeral Home will issue a cheque to the cantor, if they are looking-after the payments.
Non-active parishioners pay an additional $100 fee for the upkeep of the church. This donation should be made-out to “Saint Nicholas Church”
For your convenience, all payments may be arranged directly through the funeral home.
At services in Church, donations may be collected only by the Secretary or other authorized person. Divine Liturgies and other donations will be recorded by this person alone. If the family seeks counsel as to a particular charity, we encourage donations to the Holy Family Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund.

Hall Rental and Luncheon

Active parishioners are entitled to the complimentary use of the Parish Hall for the funeral luncheon, unless the hall is previously booked.
Others may rent the Hall for $100; Cheques are payable to St. Nicholas Church.
If the interment is a long distance from the city, we recommend the luncheon take-place after the Funeral Rites, followed by the interment.

These requirements are also distributed to the families at the time of the first consultation with the funeral home.