Last Rites & Funerals

The Rite of Christian Burial and Funeral Liturgies may be scheduled by calling the Basilica Office at 423-266-1618. See Documents above for more information.

You are invited to consider purchasing a plot or a niche at Mount Olivet Catholic Cemetery alongside generations of Chattanooga Catholics. 
 

Catholic Teaching about Infants Who Die before Baptism 

About Funerals and the Sacrament of Baptism for Children:

Though a baby cannot be baptized in utero or after death, an infant who is born alive can be baptized by anyone, as long as the infant is living. The formula for baptizing a baby is given below. A Catholic funeral can be offered for an infant whether or not he has been baptized. For miscarried or stillborn babies and infants who have died after birth without receiving the sacrament of Baptism, the Church teaches that the child can be entrusted to God's mercy. 

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1284 In case of necessity, any person can baptize provided that he have the intention of doing that which the Church does and provided that he pours water on the candidate's head while saying: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."

1261 As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them," allow us to hope that there is a way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of holy Baptism.

For more information:

The Catholic Sprouts site contains resources for those grieving the loss of a baby, and it is highly recommended by Fr. Carter.  Watch this informative video by Catholic Sprouts , which covers the following questions:

1. Can we baptize our baby?
2. Can we name our baby?
3. Can we bury our baby? What do we do if we don’t have the baby’s remains?
4. Is my baby an angel? A saint?
5. Is my baby in Limbo? Heaven?
6. Is there a funeral or burial rite we can use?
 

• For the Ordinary Form, the Funeral Rite for Baptized and Unbaptized Children may be used (this rite includes choices of readings).
• The Extraordinary Form offers an option of a Rite for the Burial of a Child (from the Parish Ritual), outside of the Mass.