Frequently Asked Questions

Advanced Planning

• Are there advantages to buying burial space and planning my funeral and mortuary before my family actually needs it?

  Yes. By making arrangements in advance, Catholic families can secure peace of mind and avoid emotional overspending. Additionally, CFCS offers flexible interest-free payment plans that assist you in ensuring your wishes are met. Contact us today to speak to an experienced and knowledgeable Family Service Advisor about your options.

• Why should I preplan?

  Planning ahead is one of the most loving and responsible things you can do for your family. With the assistance of CFCS in planning for your family’s funeral, mortuary or cremation and cemetery needs, you can ensure your wishes are met, avoid emotional overspending and provide peace of mind for yourself and your loved ones.

• Do you offer discounts for pre-planning burial and funeral services?

  Yes, we have many discount programs available for families interested in planning in advanced. To learn more about qualifying for one or more of our many discount programs, please speak to a Family Service Advisor at any CFCS location.

Funeral

• What are the Catholic Funeral Rites in the Order of Christian Funerals?

  The Catholic Funeral Rites in the Order of Christian Funerals are a celebration of faith that enable loved ones and the community to mourn by focusing on the promise of everlasting life and the hope of Resurrection in Christ. There are three distinct rites provided at the time of the funeral. Each rite serves an important purpose in guiding our family and friends through loss, grief and the journey of healing. The three rites include:

  • The Vigil & Visitation – The vigil & Visitation is often the first time family and friends gather for prayer and support, in remembrance of a treasured life.
  • The Funeral Liturgy – The Funeral Mass is the principle celebration of the Christian Funeral, where family and friends join to reaffirm that life has not ended. IT is the memorial of Christ’s sacrifice, and is a reminder that we are one with Christ in life, death and Resurrection.
  • The Committal – The Committal is the final service and time of interment. Here, family and friends gather to take their final leave with the comfort and promise of everlasting life in the Resurrection.

• Does CFCS offer Funeral, Mortuary and Cremation Services?

  Yes, CFCS (Catholic Funeral & Cemetery Services) offers full mortuary and cremation services to the community. As a nonprofit founded in faith, and a ministry of the Diocese, CFCS is dedicated to providing excellent service with many affordable options for our families. CFCS offers both immediate and advanced planning services. For more information click here.

• A death has occurred, what do I do?

  If death is imminent or has occurred, please call (855) 481-4081 and a Family Service Director will assist you. We are available 24 hours a day 7 days a week. In case of immediate need, please click here.

• What do Funeral Directors Do?

  Our Funeral Directors are specially trained to assist our families with finalizing all aspects of the funeral. They will make all of the necessary arrangements for taking your loved one into our care, complete all necessary paperwork, implement the funeral service choices made and directing the actual services. CFCS Funeral Directors guide families through this challenging time with care and compassion; at all times guided by faith and cultural traditions.

• Is embalming required by law?

  No. Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, but it is not required by law, however, in the event the family wishes to have a public viewing (Vigil or Visitation) or if the body will be transported from one state to another, then it is required that the body be embalmed.

• Why should I pre-arrange my end-of-life services?

  Pre-arranging your funeral, mortuary and cemetery plans removes the financial and emotional burden often left behind. It allows you to make your wishes known and provides your family with direction in what often is a very stressful time. Pre-arranging your end-of-life services allows you to lock in today’s prices while choosing from many affordable options, designed to fit all family budgets. We offer no interest financing and flexible payment terms. To learn more, please click here

• What is the Mother Teresa Program?

  As one of the many ministries of the Diocese, CFCS is guided by faith and the teachings of the Holy Catholic Church. Burying the dead is one of the corporal works of mercy and the Mother Teresa Program provides funeral and cemetery assistance to families in need in our community, regardless of their faith. No family is ever turned away! Mother Teresa firmly believed that love begins at home and that we should reach out to those in need. It is in this spirit that CFCS created the Mother Teresa Program that allows the poor and destitute in our community to receive sacred and dignified funeral and cemetery services. To learn more about the Mother Teresa program click here.

• Do I have to be Catholic to utilize your services?

  No, CFCS offers full mortuary and cremation services to all faiths. CFCS is dedicated to supporting all families, parishes and communities. Our mission is to serve with compassion and care.

Cremation

• What is the Church’s position on cremation?

  While there is a preference for traditional burial, as Christ was buried in the tomb, the Church has permitted cremation for over 50 years. Cremation should respect the human body and belief in the Resurrection. CFCS offers many cremation options for our families choosing cremation.

• When should the cremation occur?

  The preference is for cremation to occur following the funeral liturgy so that the body can be present for the vigil and funeral services. However, it is possible to have a memorial service with the cremated remains present.

• What is the proper handling of cremated remains?

  The Church teaches that cremated remains should be kept together (not scattered or divided) to respect the body as the temple of the Holy Spirit and preferably interred in the consecrated grounds of a Catholic Cemetery.

• I want to be cremated, where do I start?

  Cremation offers a variety of choices, from simple gatherings to a traditional ceremony. Our experienced and dedicated staff can guide you in selecting services to suit your family’s needs. For more information, please click here.

• Does CFCS offer cremation services?

  Yes, at the request of many families, CFCS now offers full mortuary and cremation services that now allows us to be a complete resource for our families and communities, one place, one contact that handles every detail. For more information please contact any of our CFCS Locations to speak to our Family Service Staff.

• Do I have to be Catholic to utilize your services?

  No, CFCS offers full mortuary and cremation services to all faiths. CFCS is dedicated to supporting all families, parishes and communities. Our mission is to serve with compassion and care.

• Do Catholic Cemeteries accept cremated remains?

  Yes, All CFCS cemetery locations accept cremated remains. As cremation becomes more popular with families, CFCS provides many cremation-burial options for our families. From traditional cremation ground burial options, columbarium niches, glass front niches, cremation pedestals and benches, and even FREE inurnment with our All Souls Remembrance Program. CFCS offers a wide variety of options to meet the needs of our families and communities. To learn more about our cremation options, please click here.

• What cemetery options do I have?

  Our cemeteries are sacred places for the living to memorialize their loved ones, with a variety of burial choices including personalized glass front niches and beautiful cremation burial sites. Our Family Heritage Program allows for cremated remains to be placed in an existing grave or crypt, allowing families the ability to be with loved ones already interred in our cemeteries. Financial concerns should never stop one from choosing a place of permanent remembrance. As such we offer free of charge to people of all faiths, the dignified placement of cremated remains with our All Souls Remembrance Program.

• What is the All Souls Remembrance Crypt?

  CFCS offers at no charge, to anyone, of any faith, who has cremated remains at home or is considering scattering, a dignified committal at any of our cemeteries. The committal will occur at the All Souls Remembrance Crypt, following the Order of Christian Funerals and then the remains will be permanently interred within the consecrated grounds of a Catholic Cemetery. This program is open to all faiths and funeral homes. To learn more about our All Souls Remembrance Program, please click here.

Cemetery

• Who can be buried at a Catholic Cemetery?

  Catholic cemeteries have a long tradition of dedicated service to the Catholic Community including non-Catholic spouses, children, parents and other relatives. Other Christians in the community may also be buried in our Catholic Cemeteries.

• If I’m divorced and remarried can I be buried in a Catholic Cemetery?

  Yes, we understand that life can have many paths, and we are here to support our families and community. For more information or if you have additional questions, please contact your Parish Priest or any Catholic Church.

• Why should Catholics be buried in a Catholic Cemetery?

  It is only natural that those who share the same faith in life will wish to carry on that sense of community in death. When it comes to the issue of death, the sensibilities and needs of Catholics are unique and call for certain practices in the handling and care of the remains of the deceased. Therefore, in the blessed grounds of a Catholic cemetery there are safeguards – mandated by the Church’s Canon Law – which guarantee permanence, reverence and respect for the remains of the deceased.

• Should I buy space for the entire family?

  It has been our experience that generally, a husband and wife buy space for themselves. Many families decide to purchase adjoining plots to form a family group. Family plots are also available and can accommodate larger headstones. Crypts for full-size caskets and niches for cremated remains may be purchased individually or in family groups.

• Should I choose a crypt or a grave?

  Personal preference and/or family tradition influence choices in this regard. Above-ground entombment in a crypt building is appealing, especially to those people who aren’t comfortable with traditional below-ground burial. Indoor mausoleum crypts are conducive to visitation in inclement weather.

• What is a Family Estate?

  Family estates are custom designed burial plots that allow families to build lasting tributes for generations to come. Family estates range in all different sizes and options from large family mausoleums to beautiful garden burial sites with large monuments representing the family name, to cremation pedestal gardens. To learn more about creating a Family Estate, please speak to any Family Service Advisor at any of our locations.

• What kind of monument can I purchase?

  CFCS offers a wide variety of memorial options to meet the needs of our families. Our experienced family service staff will walk you through the entire design and ordering process, dedicated to helping you tell a lasting story to remember your loved one for generations to come.

• Is there any chance my grave will be re-sold after a specified number of years?

  No, the purchaser or assigned burial right owner has an exclusive and permanent burial right conveyed by Catholic Cemeteries. This right passes to the spouse first or direct blood heirs immediately after the death of the recorded burial right owner if there’s no spouse. This applies to all graves, crypts, niches and family estates in the cemetery. Written permission of the heirs-at-law may be required for burial. It is advisable to secure any such written permission prior to advanced planning or immediate needs. For more information regarding Burial Rights, please contact a Family Service Advisor at any of our CFCS cemetery locations.

• Can someone who committed suicide be buried in a Catholic Cemetery?

  Yes. It is recognized that those who die from the act of suicide deserve understanding and compassion. The deceased may have been suffering from a serious psychological instability, or overwhelming fear and confusion. Therefore, the Church offers funeral and burial rites for those who may have died as a result of suicide. The American edition of the Catholic ritual includes prayers for this specific situation. These prayers evoke forgiveness for the departed and consolation to their family.

• What are your Cemetery Decoration Guidelines?

  Our Cemetery Decoration Guidelines help families honor their loved ones while maintaining safe, well-kept sacred grounds. Approved decorations include fresh or artificial flowers placed in cemetery-provided vases, and holiday decorations displayed only during the holiday period (up to two per grave, under 18″ in height). Fencing, potted plants, solar lights, balloons, glass objects, plaques, banners, and taped or glued pictures are not permitted. Please note that purchasing a burial plot grants the right of interment, but the cemetery property remains under cemetery management. To view the full guidelines, including approved and prohibited examples click here.

• What is your Flower & Decoration Policy?

  Catholic cemeteries are consecrated ground, and CFCS has been entrusted with the sacred duty of caring for and maintaining the cemeteries of the Diocese of Oakland. Our Flower & Decoration Policy outlines how flowers and decorations may be placed at graves, crypts, and niches, along with guidelines for committal services and holiday displays. It also details our semi-annual grounds cleanup, conducted each March and August, during which items that no longer meet policy are removed. To view the complete policy, click here.

Mission Programs

• What is the Mother Teresa Program?

  To learn more about this program, please click here.

• What is the All Souls Remembrance Program?

  To learn more about this program, please click here.

• What is the Family Heritage Program?

  To learn more about this program, please click here.

• What is the Precious Lives Program?

  To learn more about this program, please click here.

• What is the Pastoral Care Program?

  To learn more about this program, please click here.

Pastoral Programs

• Who will contact bereaved families?

  One of our Pastoral Ministers who may be a Priest, Deacon or layperson will contact bereaved families. These volunteer individuals will be qualified to make contact, offering prayer and support.

• When are Pastoral Calls Made?

  At an appropriate time, typically 4-6 weeks after all services have been completed, a Pastoral Minister will automatically try and make contact with families.

• Do I have to be Catholic to receive a pastoral care call?

  No, this service is provided to families who have utilized our cemeteries or funeral homes, regardless of their faith.

• Can I request a Pastoral Care call at any time?

  Yes, although our families on record who have recently suffered a loss of a loved one will be automatically contacted through this program, it is possible to request a pastoral care call through our website. To do so, click here.

Payments/Billing

• How do I pay for my burial and funeral arrangements?

  There are a variety of payment options and terms designed to give you the flexibility to remain within your personal budget. Cash, check, and Credit cards are honored for your convenience. We offer zero interest payment terms with minimal down payment requirement for advanced planning your end-of-life needs. At the time of death, the funeral and burial arrangements must be paid in full. Special terms are available for persons in need of financial assistance for immediate needs.

• Do I have to pre-qualify for financing?

  No. Everyone qualifies for our pre-planning finance program. We do not run credit checks, nor do we charge interest on our finance terms. Our mission is to serve all families and make it easy for families to plan ahead with flexible payment terms and minimal down payment programs. Planning ahead is one of the greatest gifts you can give to your loved ones; we want to make it easy.