Visitation is frequently referred to, incorrectly, as a "viewing."

During a visitation, we dress and lay the deceased in the casket, allow the casket to be open or closed based on the family's wishes, and invite mourners, friends, and family to come and visit and pay final respects to the deceased, while also paying respects to the family and provide the opportunity to mourn together in the days and hours leading up to the formal funeral ceremony. An "open casket visitation" is also correctly called a "viewing."

Also, the family may restrict the viewing to family-only, include close friends, or invite all those interested in attending. In some cases, a combination of public and private hours may be appropriate.

Typical options for scheduling visitation are listed below. However, differing from these options based on family wishes is always acceptable.

Option #1

Day 1 6:00pm - 8:00pm

Day 2 2:00pm - 4:00pm

6:00pm - 8:00pm

Day 3 9:00am - 10:00am followed by Funeral Service

Option #2

Day 1 2:00pm - 4:00pm

6:00pm - 8:00pm

Day 2 9:00am - 10:00am

followed by Funeral Service

Option #3

Day 1 9:00am - 10:00am

followed by Funeral Service

Ceremonies can be a part of any service, and come in many forms. Your church, for example, may have a group of people who visit parishioners who have passed on and say the rosary. Sometimes, persons who were members of the military may be visited by a group of service men and women, and they may wish to perform a special prayer or blessing as well. The creative possibilities are truly limitless.

Typically, on the morning of the actual funeral service, a brief morning visitation is followed by a ceremony in our chapel, and sometimes an additional service in a church. Then the funeral procession typically proceeds to the cemetery, where a final service is held either in the cemetery chapel or at graveside.