In the face of death, the Church confidently proclaims that God has created each person for eternal life and that Jesus, the Son of God, by his death and resurrection, has broken the chains of sin and death that bound humanity.

At the death of a Christian, whose life of faith was begun in the waters of baptism and strengthened at the Eucharistic table, the Church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end nor does it break the bonds forged in life. The Church also ministers to the sorrowing and consoles them in the funeral rites with the comforting word of God and the sacrament of the Eucharist.

The celebration of the Christian funeral brings hope and consolation to the living. While proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ and witnessing to Christian hope in the resurrection, the funeral rites also recall to all who take part in them God's mercy and judgement and meet the human need to turn always to God in times of crisis.

by Msgr. Michael Busch, May 2022

There are many privately owned cemeteries which have begun to add “Catholic” sections often bearing names of Catholic saints or other titles like “Assumption” or “Transfiguration” and adding statuary and art appropriated from our Catholic traditions. These are not true Catholic cemeteries and the grounds for burial are often unconsecrated. Only a Catholic bishop or his designate can consecrate holy ground for burial and these private cemeteries must have the permission of the bishop of the diocese to do so. Since the Archdiocese of Toronto owns and operates it’s own Catholic Cemeteries this permission is rarely, if ever, given.

The profits from the operation of the Catholic cemeteries supports the work of the church. It is used to build new parishes, and support its good works among the poor as well as many other social programs. Also the Church prays for the faithfully departed buried in our Catholic cemeteries every Wednesday at St. Michael’s Cathedral Basilica. There is a yearly mass on the Feast of assumption, as well as masses and prayer services for the deceased of the archdiocese throughout the year at every Catholic Cemetery. Privately owned cemeteries are for profit only and priest are not allowed to celebrate masses at these cemeteries. We ask that you continue to support our Catholic cemeteries in the planning of your funerals, so that the good works of the Church may continue, and the souls of our faithful departed buried in these cemeteries will be remembered in our prayers.