Perhaps they are not stars in the sky,
But rather openings
Where our loved ones
Shine down to let us know
They are happy.

Gone yet not forgotten,
Although we are apart,
Your spirit lives within me,
Forever in my heart.

Always in our minds
Even if we are apart,
Although we’re left behind
You’ll never leave our hearts.

Our family chain is broken,
nothing seems the same,
but as God calls us one by one,
the links shall join again.

Fold (him/her) in Thine arms, Father,
and let (him/her) henceforth
be a messenger of love
between our human hearts and Thee.

The Golden Gates stood open
God saw you needed rest,
His garden must be beautiful,
He only takes the best.

May you rest in peace, dear (mother/father),
in that heavenly home above,
with the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
in His own eternal love.

Those we love can never be
More than a thought apart,
For as long as there is memory,
They’ll live on in the heart.

Those we love don’t go away,
They walk beside us every day,
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
Still loved, still missed and very dear.

Don’t remember me with sadness,
Don’t remember me with tears,
Remember all the laughter,
We’ve had throughout the years.

Along the road to yesterday
that leads me straight to you;
Are memories of happy days,
together we once knew.

God saw the road was getting rough,
the hill was hard to climb.
He gently closed your loving eyes
and whispered ‘Peace be thine’.

May (his/her) soul and the souls
of all the faithful departed
through the mercy of God
rest in peace.
Amen.

Now you are sad,
but I will see you again
and your hearts
will be filled with gladness.
-John 16:22

Child’s Prayer
Now I lay me down to sleep;
I pray thee‚ Lord‚ my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake‚
I pray Thee‚ Lord my soul to take.

The Serenity Prayer
God grant me the serenity
To accept the things I cannot change;
Courage to change the things I can;
And wisdom to know the difference.

Every blade in the field,
Every leaf in the forest
Lays down its life in its season
As beautifully as it was taken up.
-Henry David Thoreau

O Lord, thou gavest (him/her) to us to be our joy and consolation. Thou hast taken (him/her) away from us; we give (him/her) back to Thee without a murmur though our hearts are wrung with sorrow.
-St. Ephrem

Irish Blessing
May the road rise up to meet you,
may the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again, may God
hold you in the palm of His hand.

A (man/lady) of great character whose judgment, humor and friendly spirit brought out the finest in those around (him/her). The influence of (his/her) life upon others is a flame that will burn brightly forever. (He/She) left so much good with every soul (he/she) touched on this Earth.

A Commendation at the Time of Death: Depart, O Christian soul, out of this world; In the Name of God the Father Almighty who created you; In the Name of Jesus Christ who redeemed you; In the Name of the Holy Spirit who sanctifies you. May your rest be this day in peace, and your dwelling place in the Paradise of God.

Eternal rest grant unto (him/her) O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon (him/her), and may (his/her) soul and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace Amen

God has not promised skies always blue, Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through; God has not promised sun without rain, Joy without sorrow, peace without pain. But God has promised strength for the day, Rest for the labor, light for the way, Grace for the trials, help from above, Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

We hold you close within our hearts,
And there you shall remain,
To walk with us throughout our lives,
Until we meet again.
So rest in peace dear loved one
And thanks for all you’ve done,
We pray that God has given you,
The crown you’ve truly won.

Leaf after leaf
flower after flower
some in the dawn of day
some in the after hour.
Alive they flourish,
and alive they fall
and the earth that sustained them
receives them all.

Along the road to yesterday
That leads us straight to you,
Are memories of the happy days
Together we once knew.
And always every evening
We seem to have a way
Of wandering back to meet you
On the road to yesterday.

God needed an angel in Heaven
To stand at the Savior’s feet;
His choice must be the rarest
A lily pure and sweet.
He gazed upon the mighty throng
Then stopped and picked the best,
Our child was His chosen one
With Jesus (she’s/he’s) now at rest.

When you’re alone with Jesus
And He sweetly smiles on thee,
Will you gently whisper to Him
A little prayer for me?
And when I’m alone with Jesus
And all else is hid from view,
I’ll gently drop into His Sacred Heart
A little prayer for you.

Our Father and Hail Mary, eternal rest grant unto (him/her) O Lord and let Thy perpetual light shine upon (him/her). May (he/she) rest in peace. Hold (him/her), O Jesus, in Thine arms and let (him/her) henceforth be a messenger of love between our human hearts and Thee.

I thank you for the love that each has shown,
But now it’s time I travel on alone.
So grieve awhile for me if grieve you must,
Then let your grief be comforted by trust.
It’s only a while that we must part,
So bless the memories within your heart.
I won’t be far away; I’ll be quite near.
Just call me softly and I will hear.

Gone from us that smiling face
The cheerful pleasant ways
The heart that won so many friends
In bygone, happy days.
A life made beautiful by kindly deeds
A helping hand for others’ needs
To a beautiful life, comes a happy end
(He/She) died as (he/she) lived, everyone’s friend.

Although we seem so far apart,
You’re always here within our hearts.
You filled our lives
With joy and pleasure
You were to us a precious treasure.
A little while shall pass and then,
We’ll see each other once again.
What joy of joys when all is well,
Together again in peace we’ll dwell.

Memories
Time cannot steal the treasures
That we carry in our hearts,
Nor ever dim the shining thought
Our cherished past imparts…
And memories of the ones we’ve loved
Still cast their gentle glow,
To grace our days and light our paths,
Wherever we may go.

One of the Best
You left us so quietly,
Your thoughts unknown.
You left us memories,
We are proud to own.
So treasured by the Lord,
In your garden of rest.
For on Earth you were truly
One of the best.

Love Lives On
Those we love remain with us
For love itself lives on,
And cherished memories never fade
Because a loved one’s gone.
Those we love can never be
More than a thought apart,
For as long as there is memory,
They’ll live on in the heart.

Hail Mary
Hail Mary, Full of Grace.
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
And blessed is the fruit
Of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners,
Now and at the hour of our death.
Amen.

Father, we entrust our (brother/sister) to your mercy. You loved (him/her) greatly in this life: now that (he/she) is freed from all its cares, give (him/her) happiness and peace forever. Welcome (him/her) now into paradise where there will be no more sorrow, no more weeping or pain, but only peace and joy with Jesus your Son, and the Holy Spirit forever and ever.

O Gentlest Heart of Jesus ever present in the Blessed Sacrament, ever consumed with burning love for the poor captive souls in Purgatory, have mercy on the soul of Thy servant, (name). Bring (him/her) from the shadows of exile to the bright home of Heaven where we trust Thou and Thy Blessed Mother have woven for (him/her) a crown of unfading bliss. Amen.

O God, the Creator and Redeemer of all the faithful, grant to the souls of Thy servants departed the remission of all their sins; that through pious supplications they may obtain the pardon which they have always desired who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.

Prayer of Solace
May Christ support us
all the day long,
till the shadows lengthen,
and the evening comes,
and the busy world is hushed,
and the fever of life is over
and our work is done.
Then in His mercy
may He give us a safe lodging,
and holy rest and peace at the last.
Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father who art in Heaven,
Hallowed be Thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On Earth, as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive our trespasses as
We forgive those
who trespass against us
And lead us not into temptation,
But deliver us from evil.
Amen.

Fill not your hearts with pain and sorrow,
But remember me in every tomorrow.
My going has eased my pain and given relief,
So dry your eyes and forget your grief.
Remember the joy, our laughter, my smile
And that our being apart is just for a while.
Remember me, also, as I used to be.
Understand in your hearts, so precious to me,
That I’ve gone on ahead to dwell up above,
And ’til we’re once more together…
You have all of my love.

We sat beside your bedside,
Our hearts were crushed and sore;
We did our best to the end,
’Til we could do no more.
In tears we watched you sinking,
We watched you fade away;
And though our hearts were breaking,
We knew you could not stay.
You left behind some aching hearts,
That loved you most sincere;
We never shall and never will
Forget you (Mother/Father) dear.

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle’s flight.
Then God combined these qualities,
Making something like no other,
His masterpiece was now complete,
He lovingly called it (Father/Mother).

You toiled so hard for those you loved,
You said goodbye to none.
Your spirit flew before we knew,
Your work on Earth was done.
We miss you now, our hearts are sore,
As time goes by we miss you more.
Your loving smile, your gentle face,
No one can fill your vacant place.
Your life was love and labor,
Your love for your family true.
You did the best for all of us,
We will always remember you.

Though (his/her) smile
is gone forever‚
And (his/her) hand we cannot touch‚
We shall never lose sweet memories
Of the one we loved so much.
We hold you close within our hearts‚
And there you shall remain‚
To walk with us through our lives‚
Until we meet again‚
So rest in peace Dear loved one
And thanks for all you’ve done‚
We pray that God has given you‚
The crown you’ve truly won.

Go forth upon your journey
from this world,
In the name of God the Father
who created you;
In the name of Jesus Christ
who died for you;
In the name of the Holy Spirit
who shines through you;
In friendship with God’s saints;
Aided by the holy angels.
May you rest this day
in the peace and love
of your eternal home.

Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow;
I am a diamond glint on snow;
I am the sunlight on ripened grain;
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken
in the morning hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight;
I am the soft starlight at night.
Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there, I do not sleep.

I Only Wanted You
They say memories are golden
Well maybe that is true.
I never wanted memories
I only wanted you.
In life I loved you dearly,
In death I love you still.
In my heart you hold a place
no one could ever fill.
If tears could build a stairway
And heartache make a lane,
I’d walk the path to Heaven
And bring you back again.

In Our Hearts
We thought of you with love today
But that is nothing new
We thought about you yesterday
And the day before that too
We think of you in silence
We often speak your name
Now all we have are memories
And your picture in a frame
Your memory is our keepsake
With which we’ll never part
God has you in His keeping
We have you in our hearts

Afterglow
I’d like the memory of me,
To be a happy one.
I’d like to leave an afterglow
Of smiles when life is done.
I’d like to leave an echo
Whispering softly down the ways,
Of happy times and laughing times
And bright and sunny days.
I’d like the tears of those who grieve,
To dry before the sun,
Of happy memories that I leave
When life is done.

He Only Takes the Best
God saw you getting tired,
And a cure was not to be.
So He put his arms around you,
And whispered “Come to me”.
With tearful eyes we watched you,
And saw you pass away.
Although we loved you dearly,
We could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating,
Hard working hands to rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.

Walk in Sunshine
May you always walk in sunshine
And God’s love around you flow,
For the happiness you gave us,
No one will ever know.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you did not go alone,
A part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
A million times we needed you,
A million times we cried,
If love could have only saved you,
You never would have died.

The Magic of a Mother’s Touch
There’s magic in a mother’s touch,
And sunshine in her smile.
There’s love in everything she does
To make our lives worthwhile.
We can find both hope and courage
Just by looking in her eyes.
Her laughter is a source of joy,
Her works are warm and wise.
There is a kindness and compassion
To be found in her embrace,
And we see the light of Heaven
Shining from a mother’s face.

The Everlasting Light
Those we love must someday pass
Beyond our present sight;
They must leave us
and the world we know
Without their radiant light.
But we know that, like a candle,
Their lovely light will shine
To brighten up another place,
More perfect, more divine;
And in the realm of Heaven
Where they shine so warm and bright,
Our loved ones live forever more
In God’s eternal light.

The Day God Took You Home
In tears we saw you sinking,
And watched you pass away.
Our hearts were almost broken,
We wanted you to stay.
But when we saw you sleeping,
So peaceful, free from pain,
How could we wish you back with us,
To suffer that again.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
But you did not go alone,
For part of us went with you,
The day God took you home.

Memorare
Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to Thy protection, implored Thy help or sought Thine intercession, was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto Thee, O Virgin of Virgins, my Mother; to Thee do I come, before Thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in Thy mercy, hear and answer me. Amen.

Legacy of Love
A wife, a mother, a grandma too,
This is the legacy we have from you.
You taught us love and how to fight,
You gave us strength, you gave us might.
A stronger person would be hard to find,
And in your heart, you were always kind.
You fought for us all in one way or another,
Not just as a wife, not just as a mother.
For all of us you gave your best,
Now the time has come for you to rest.
So go in peace, you’ve earned your sleep,
Your love in our hearts, we’ll eternally keep.

Safely Home
I am home in Heaven, dear ones;
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.
There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remaineth-
You shall rest in God’s own land.
When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!

You can only have one mother
Patient, kind and true;
No other friend in all the world,
Will be the same to you.
When other friends forsake you,
To mother you will return,
For all her loving kindness,
She asks nothing in return.
As we look upon her picture,
Sweet memories we recall,
Of a face so full of sunshine,
And a smile for one and all.
Sweet Jesus, take this message,
To our dear mother up above;
Tell her how we miss her,
And give her all our love.

Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what’s to be,
A resting place along the road,
To sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant
to learn some things,
But never meant to stay…
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey’s quicker,
For some the journey’s slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We’ll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the Lord.

God’s Garden
God looked around His garden
And found an empty place.
He then looked down upon the Earth
And saw your tired face.
He put his arms around you
And lifted you to rest.
God’s garden must be beautiful
He always takes the best.
He saw the road was getting rough
And the hills were hard to climb,
So He closed your weary eyelids
And whispered “Peace be thine”.
It broke our hearts to lose you
But you didn’t go alone,
For part of us went with you
The day God called you home.

(His/Her) Journey
Don’t think of (him/her)
as gone away,
(His/Her) journey’s just begun.
Life holds so many facets,
This Earth is only one.
Just think of (him/her) as resting
From the sorrow and the tears,
In a place of warmth and comfort,
Where there are no days and years.
Think how (he/she) must be wishing
That we could know today,
How nothing but our sadness
Can really pass away.
And think of (him/her) as living
In the hearts
of those (he/she) touched,
For nothing loved is ever lost,
And (he/she) was loved so much.

The Broken Chain
We little knew that morning
That God was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you,
You did not go alone;
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories,
Your love is still our guide;
And though we can not see you,
You are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken,
And nothing seems the same;
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again.

Only God Knows Why
We grieve for you in silence
And try so not to show
But what it meant to lose you
No one will ever know.
You wished no one a farewell
Or ever said good-bye.
You were gone before we knew it
And only God knows why.
A golden heart stopped beating
A gentle person at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us
He only takes the best.
If stairs were made of heartache
By adding teardrops, too
I’d be a staircase to Heaven
And climb each day to you.

Miss Me – But Let Me Go
When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room
Why cry for a soul set free?
Miss me a little – but not too long
And not with your head bowed low,
Remember the love
that we once shared
Miss me – but let me go.
For it’s journey we all must take
And each must go alone,
It’s all a part of the Master’s plan
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know,
And bury your sorrows
in doing good deeds.
Miss me – but let me go.

Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is discord, harmony;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled, as to console;
To be understood, as to understand;
To be loved, as to love;
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned;
And it is in dying
That we are born to eternal life.

The Twenty-Third Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul; He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

When tomorrow starts without me
And I’m not there to see,
If the sun should rise and find your eyes,
All filled with tears for me.
I wish so much you wouldn’t cry
The way you did today,
While thinking of the many things
We didn’t get to say.
I know how much you loved me,
As much as I love you,
And each time that you think of me,
I know you’ll miss me too.
But when tomorrow starts without me
Please try to understand,
That an Angel came and called my name
And took me by the hand.
When tomorrow starts without me,
Don’t think we’re far apart,
For every time you think of me,
I’m right here, in your heart.