Hey there,
I’ll never forget Thanksgiving Day 2001. I was standing in my entry way with my Mom, waiting for my Dad to leave for the Dallas Cowboys game. My mother was admiring a new piece of furniture I had acquired, a buffet. She added, “Who’s going to take my dining room set?”
I told her we didn’t need to worry about that for a long time. And quickly changed the subject. We said our goodbyes and they were off.
She died unexpectedly three days later.
My mother was a planner and her death was no different. She and my Dad had already purchased their burial plot, and their caskets. Grave markers were selected. The only thing left for us to do was to purchase flowers and write the obituary.
Those preparations are helpful for loved ones we leave behind, so they don’t have to make all those decisions and spend the money during their time of grief.
But even more important than funeral preparations are our personal preparations for our death.
As Catholics who believe in the Afterlife, we’re taught not to fear death.
No one gets out of here alive, as the saying goes. But not everyone goes to heaven. So it’s up to us to live our life as Jesus taught us … so we have the opportunity to spend eternity with our Father.
In this issue of Genuflect we delve into what Death is, ways to prepare for it, how to have a holy death, and what happens when we die. So we can make sure we’re doing all we can now to properly prepare ourselves.
And if you’re wondering what happened to my Mother’s beloved dining room set that my father gave her as a wedding gift … I have it. It’s all the more special to me knowing what it meant to her.
Keep Believing-
Katy Barrilleaux
Founding Editor, Genuflect
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What is Death?
You may think you have a pretty good handle on what death is. Here Rick Becker looks at death in terms of what we can’t do, what we must do, and what we ought to do.
What is Death Exactly? And What’s it Like? | National Catholic Register
How to Prepare For Death
In this follow-up article, Rick Becker addresses what we must do and what we ought to do to prepare for death.
How to Prepare For The Hour of Your Death | National Catholic Register
Living For Death
During the Covid pandemic, we did everything we could to avoid death, even isolating ourselves in our homes for extended periods of time. But Catholic Stand explains why a part of preparing for death is actually in how we live.
You And I Are Going to Die (And so Will Everyone Else) | Catholic Stand
A Happy Death
Life expectancies have continued to rise over the centuries thanks to advances in medicine. This feeds our procrastination for preparing for our death. But we should prepare and we should make sure our wishes are known. Here’s how to have a happy death.
Death in The Modern Age – And How to Prepare as a Catholic | Catholic News Agency
The Four Last Things
The afterlife can get complicated. So, we Catholics boil it down to 4 primary things. Here’s what you need to know.
What Every Catholic Must Know About the “Four Last Things” – Your Soul Depends on it! | ChurchPOP
10 Ways to Prepare For Death
When we die we will learn our fate … either we’re saved or we’re damned. There are things we can do to help get us headed in the right direction. Here are 10 ways to prepare for a happy and holy death now.
Ten Ways to Prepare For a Happy & Holy Death | Catholic Exchange
A Holy Death
When your time comes, will you be ready? If you’re not so sure, it’s not too late. Dom Cingoranelli offers advice on how to get started now … so you will be ready.
A Holy Death | Catholic Stand
Prepare For The Afterlife
Father Robert McTeigue says it’s not so much what we do now to prepare for our death, but what we do now to prepare for our eternity. And the key lies in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
Seriously… How Can Death be “Unexpected?” | Aleteia
Remembering Our Death
We don’t know when we are going to die. What we do know is that we are not meant for this world. The time and place will be of Our Lord’s choosing. If we keep our eye on the prize, Christina Antus explains why death becomes a lot less scary.
Memento Mori: How Remembering Our Death Can Inspire Our Lives | Busted Halo
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