In the parish of St. Michael’s Church Athy, the team consists of  lay men and women, who have been trained in providing support at a time of loss. The team will assist in helping to organise a Christian funeral with the help of the comforting rituals that the Church has to offer the bereaved.

On receiving word of the death of a person, one or two members of the Funeral Ministry Team may visit the bereaved family either on their own or with the priest, deacon or parish pastoral worker.

The purpose of the visit is to sympathise with the family, to bring the peace and hope that the Gospel has to offer and to assure the bereaved family that the parish community is praying for them and their loved one. They will also bring the Parish Funeral Rites Booklet which contains the Scripture Readings and sample intercessions for the Prayer of the Faithful which will be used during the funeral ceremony. They may discuss the liturgy and help the family make the decisions on choosing the appropriate readings and prayers for the deceased person. Members of the Funeral Ministry Team may be involved in leading some of the prayers at the family home or the funeral home, in the church or at the graveside or crematorium.