“You can never replace someone you have lost,
but you decorate the gap with happy memories.”
Tony Benn
St James & St William of York Parish
FUNERAL MASS
for
SARA SCANLON
In loving memory of Sara Juliet Scanlon
14.02.58 – 04.07.16
Music reproduced under Calamus License
0118
At: St James Church, Reading
On: Saturday 16th July 2016
at 12.30pm
Procession with coffin
(please stand)
Sprinkling with Holy Water
Hymn:
Praise, my soul, the king of heaven!
To his feet thy tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
who like me his praise should sing?
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise the everlasting king!
Praise him for his grace and favour
to our fathers in distress;
praise him still the same for ever,
slow to chide and swift to bless.
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise him! Praise him!
Glorious in his faithfulness!
Father-like he tends and spares us;
well our feeble frame he knows;
in his hands he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes.
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise him! Praise him!
Widely as his mercy flows!
Angels, help us to adore him;
ye behold him face to face;
sun and moon bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space.
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise him! Praise him!
Praise with us the God of grace!
Placing of Christian symbols
Opening Prayer
After the service, there will be a
private burial for family and close friends.
All are welcome to join the family for
refreshments after the service at:
Our Lady of Peace church hall,
338 Wokingham Road,
Reading, RG6 7DB.
Please make your own way to the reception venue.
A minibus is available for those without transport,
please ask in the church porch and you will be directed.
At the reception, there will be time for
anyone who would like to say
a few words about Sara – happy memories,
recollection of what she meant to you
or thanks for her life and work.
Please speak to Sara’s brother Adam
if you would like to take part.
FINAL COMMENDATION
LITURGY OF THE WORD
Prayer of Commendation
(Please sit)
Sprinkling of Holy Water and incense of the coffin.
A reading from the prophet Isaiah (25:6-9)
Procession with Coffin
(Please stand)
On this mountain, the Lord of hosts will
prepare for all peoples a banquet of rich food.
On this mountain he will remove the mourning veil
covering all peoples, and the shroud enwrapping
all nations, he will destroy Death for ever.
The Lord will wipe away the tears from every cheek;
he will take away his people’s shame everywhere
on earth, for the Lord has said so.
That day, it will be said:
See, this is our God in whom we hoped for salvation;
the Lord is the one in whom we hoped.
We exult and we rejoice that he has saved us
Hymn:
He who would valiant be
‘gainst all disaster,
let him in constancy
follow the Master.
There’s no discouragement
shall make him once relent
his first avowed intent
to be a pilgrim.
Who so beset him round
with dismal stories,
do but themselves confound;
his strength the more is.
No foes shall stay his might
though he with giants fight;
he will make good his right
to be a pilgrim.
Since, Lord, thou dost defend
us with thy Spirit,
we know we at the end
shall life inherit.
Then fancies flee away!
I’ll fear not what they say,
I’ll labour night and day
to be a pilgrim.
(Percy Dearmer (1867 – 1936)
after John Bunyan (1628 – 88))
In lieu of flowers for her funeral, Sara requested
that donations be made to the National Deaf
Children’s Society and local Reading
charity CommuniCare. There will be baskets
at the back of the church if you would like to
make a donation.
All: Thanks be to God
Psalm 32
Response: The Lord fills the earth with his love.
The word of the Lord is faithful
and all his works to be trusted.
The Lord loves justice and right
and fills the earth with his love.
By his word the heavens were made,
by the breath of his mouth all the stars.
He collects the waves of the ocean;
he stores up the depths of the sea.
They are happy, whose God is the Lord,
the people he has chosen as his own.
From the heavens the Lord looks forth,
he sees all the children of men.
Our soul is waiting for the Lord.
The Lord is our help and our shield.
May your love be upon us, O Lord,
as we place all our hope in you.
Alleluia Verse
(please stand)
A reading from the Book of
Romans (8:31b-35; 37-39)
If God is for us, who is against us?
He who did not spare his own Son
but gave him up for us all, will he
not also give us all things with him?
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect?
It is God who justifies; who is to condemn?
Is it Christ Jesus, who died, yes,
who was raised from the dead,
who is at the right hand of God,
who indeed intercedes for us?
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?
Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution,
or famine, or nakedness,
or peril, or sword?
No, in all these things
we are more than conquerors
through him who loved us.
For I am sure that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities,
nor things present, nor things to come,
nor powers, nor height, nor depth,
nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love
of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All: Thanks be to God
Gospel Acclamation (sung)
(Please stand)
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
I am the Resurrection and the Life,
says the Lord,
whoever believes in me will never die.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia
Communion Hymn:
O, the love of my Lord is the essence
of all that I love here on earth.
All the beauty I see
he has given to me
and his giving is gentle as silence.
Every day, every hour, every moment
have been blessed by the strength of his love.
At the turn of each tide
he is there at my side,
and his touch is as gentle as silence.
There’ve been times when I’ve turned
from his presence,
and I’ve walked other paths, other ways.
But I’ve called on his name
in the dark of my shame,
and his mercy was gentle as silence.
(Estelle White)
Eulogy
by Michael Scanlon
Serenity – A Meditation for Sara
Performed by Jane Scanlon,
Lucy Scanlon and David Heyes.
God, grant me the strength
of eagle wings,
the faith and courage
to fly to new heights,
and the wisdom
to rely on His spirit to carry me there.
- Native American Prayer for Serenity -
Mystery of Faith
We proclaim your death O Lord,
We proclaim your death O Lord
and profess your resurrection,
until you come again.
Communion Rite
(Please stand)
The Lord’s Prayer
The Sign of Peace
Lamb of God (sung)
Jesus, Lamb of God, bearer of our sin; Jesus, Saviour:
Hear our prayer, hear our prayer; through this bread
and wine we share, may we be your sign
of peace everywhere.
Jesus, Lamb of God, bearer of our pain; Jesus healer:
Hear our prayer, hear our prayer; through this bread
and wine we share, may we be your sign
of peace everywhere.
Invitation to Communion
(Please kneel)
(If you are not a Catholic, you are most welcome to come
forward for a blessing. Please cross your hands over your chest
as the sign for this as you present yourself for a blessing)
“A truly inspirational lady whose
passion and wisdom will be
remembered by those who had the
privilege to meet her.”
Association of Lipspeakers
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to
Luke (10:25-37)
There was a lawyer who, to disconcert Jesus,
stood up and said to him,
‘Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’
He said to him, ‘What is written in the law?
What do you read there?’
He replied, ‘You must love the Lord your God
with all your heart, with all your soul,
with all your strength, and with all your mind,
and your neighbour as yourself;
‘You have answered right,’ said Jesus,
‘do this and life is yours.’
But the man was anxious to justify himself
and said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbour?’
Jesus replied, ‘A man was once on his way down
from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the
hands of brigands; they took all he had,
beat him and then made off, leaving him half dead.
Now a priest happened to be travelling
down the same road, but when he saw the man,
he passed by on the other side.
In the same way a Levite who came to the place
saw him, and passed by on the other side.
But a Samaritan traveller who came upon him
was moved with compassion when he saw him.
He went up and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil
and wine on them. He then lifted him on to his
own mount, carried him to the inn and looked after him.
Next day, he took out two denarii and handed
them to the innkeeper. “Look after him,” he said
“and on my way back I will make good
any extra expense you have.”
Which of these three, do you think, proved himself a
neighbour to the man who fell into the brigands’ hands?’
‘The one, who took pity on him’ he replied. Jesus said to
him, ‘Go, and do the same yourself.’
This is the Gospel of the Lord.
Homily
(Please sit)
Prayer of the Faithful
(Please stand)
Reader:
All:
Reader:
All:
Reader:
All:
Reader:
All:
Reader:
All:
Reader:
All:
For Sara, who in baptism was given the
pledge of eternal life; that she may now be
admitted to the company of the saints.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us
For the family and friends of Sara, including
many who cannot be with us today; that they
may be consoled in their grief by the risen
Lord who offers healing to all.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us
For other people living with cancer, or
terminal disease; that they may be uplifted
and comforted by faith, friendships and the
transforming power of love.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us
For the Deaf and deafened people, and those
with hearing loss; that the world will become
a more inclusive place where all are enabled
to fulfill their potential.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us
For all Catholics; that they may strive
continually to put their faith into action,
engaging with the wider world to promote
social justice for all peoples.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us
For the parishioners of St James and
St William of York, friends who loved and
supported Sara and her family throughout her
illness; that they will long remember her in
their prayers and carry forward all her good
works.
Lord hear us
Lord graciously hear us
LITURGY OF THE EUCHARIST
(Please sit)
Procession with Gifts of bread & wine
Hymn:
In bread we bring you Lord, our bodies’ labour.
In wine we offer you our spirit’s grief.
We do not ask you, Lord, who is my neighbour?
But stand united now, one in belief.
Oh, we have gladly heard your Word,
your holy Word,
and now in answer, Lord,
our gifts we bring.
Our selfish hearts make true,
our failing faith renew,
our lives belong to you,
our Lord and King.
The bread we offer you is blessed and broken,
and it becomes for us our spirits’ food.
Over the cup we bring your Word is spoken;
make it your gift to us your healing blood.
Take all that daily toil plants in our heart’s poor soil
take all we start and spoil,
each hopeful dream,
the chances we have missed,
the graces we resist,
Lord in thy Eucharist,
take and redeem.
(Kevin Nichols)
Eucharistic Prayer
(Please stand)
Holy Holy, Holy, Holy Lord, Holy Lord,
Holy Lord God of hosts.
Heave’n and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
Blessed, blessed, blessed, blessed is he who comes
in the name, who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna, hosanna, Hosanna in the highest.
Hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest.
(Please kneel)