Prayer when death comes.

Prayer at Death.

An event that we all must face,
A time that we cannot escape.
This life must end that we might live,
That we might find eternal home.
Prayers from the Holy Name Society.
1. Prayer for someone dying.
2. Prayer for the last moment.
3. Prayer at the home of the deceased.
4. Prayer after the funeral.

The Holy Name Society was a men's organization active on the parish level that promoted regular confession and communion during a time when frequent communion was uncommon. Above all its aim was to promote respect for the name of Jesus.

See also, Death and Heaven, meditational material from Rev. F. X. Lasance.
And Prayer for the Faithful Departed, by John Cardinal Newman.

You may also find useful the Litany for the Dying, and teaching on indulgences, or a short explanation on our site. The material at short prayer may be useful and examples of the short prayers anyone can use, even the dying or those who love them.

CCC 2299 "The dying should be given attention and care to help them live their last moments in dignity and peace. They will be helped by the prayer of their relatives, who must see to it that the sick receive at the proper time the sacraments that prepare them to meet the living God."

The image is a detail from Michelangelo's Last Judgment depicting the resurrection of the dead. It was obtained from Christus Rex and is used with permission. Click on the image to see the original. The entire Last Judgment would be useful for meditation. For some analysis of it, see Art as a Source of Christian Meditation. Another painting that would be very good for meditation is the Death of a Miser and the Last Judgment by Bosch. See also, the Last Judgment by Van Eyck.

The images presented here and elsewhere in our parish web site are for educational and religious purposes only. No other use is intended or permitted. (See 17USC107.) The text on this page is by Rev. Roger J. Smith, ©1997.

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