Father Jack McDermott, a retired priest from the Archdiocese of Newark, knew the value of storytelling in a community. “Our faith is cemented when we tell our stories,” he says. As he ministered at wake services, he began asking, “Does anyone want to say something about the deceased?” He discovered that storytelling under these sad and sometimes stressful circumstances added another dimension to the service and brought a measure of peace to the gathering.

At times of deep sorrow, the ministry of the community is one of companionship to those who grieve. The wake service presents an opportunity for parish ministers to ease the burden of the mourners. The Order of Christian Funerals states, “At the vigil the Christian community keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ’s presence” (56).

Customs vary: The core of a wake service might be the recitation of the rosary or it might be a liturgy of the Word. This would include readings from the Old Testament (particularly the psalms) and the New Testament, followed by a prayer of intercession, including perhaps a litany, the Lord’s Prayer, and a final blessing.

Storytelling can be added to either form of a community’s wake services. Father McDermott’s parish printed a brochure, “In Memory of You: A Christian Wake Service.” In the midst of the readings and prayers, the minister thanks God for the gifts of the deceased and says, “We take this time now to remember these special gifts and cherished memories.” The mourners are then invited to “share aloud a treasured memory.”

The stories bring laughter and tears and, eventually, acceptance to the mourners. Talking about chocolate chip cookies can also remind us to look for God in the ordinary details of our own lives.

Click here to read five steps toward encouraging storytelling at wake services in your parish.



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