The Catholic Family Awareness Program and Pre-Need Planning Services from the Catholic Cemetery Association of the Archdiocese of Boston.

There are over 40 important decisions required of someone when planning a funeral or making cemetery arrangements. Some people decide to make those decisions in advance in order to not impose the burden on family members.

Most of your adult life is spent providing for your family’s needs. Doctor’s bills. Tuition. Life Insurance. But what would happen if at the most difficult time of all – when they need you the most – you’re not there to help? By taking a few hours in quiet, calm preparation, you can save your family the stress of making last minute final arrangements. Arranging for a Catholic burial has never been easier nor has it ever been more prudent.

Why Plan Ahead for your Family’s Final Arrangements?

The death of a family member is one of the most stressful things that can happen to a family. It seems we all know someone who didn’t take the time to make arrangements in advance, so that the burden fell on the family – at a time when they could least afford the additional stress. Instead of dealing with their grief in a healing way, they are forced to handle the details of making final arrangements on short notice. Often the wishes of the deceased are unknown, or ignored, in the stress and expediency of the moment. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Benefits of Pre-planning

Our Catholic cemetery tradition testifies to the sacredness of life and our hope as a people rooted in resurrection faith. It is a great gift that you give to your family by making these decisions well in advance. Planning in advance provides you with many benefits including:

Shared decision
Families can share in the choices and make knowledgeable decisions together, ensuring everyone’s satisfaction. At a time of need, quick and unwise decisions are often made.

Price protection
We know that the cost of funeral and cemetery arrangements will increase in the future. Pre-planning freezes costs at today’s prices. Also, pre-planning expenses can be paid over time on a budget plan, while payment at the time of death is typically made on a cash basis.

Conserve your life insurance
Most life insurance is purchased to allow a family to adjust to the loss of income that a death causes. If pre arrangements are not made, a large part of the insurance proceeds may be spent on funeral and cemetery expenses.

Peace of mind
Know that your pre-planning will save your loved ones from the burden of having to make these difficult decisions when they are dealing with grief and loss.

It is clear to see that Pre-planning is an act of responsibility and love.

The Catholic Family Awareness Program is here to provide assistance and guidance to our Catholic families before the need arises.

Now making the first step is easier than it has ever been before. The Catholic Family Awareness Program has been established to help guide our Catholic families in the many areas that they may be unfamiliar with.

The cornerstone of this exciting new program is the Catholic Family Emergency Record Guide. This valuable book is available free of charge from the Catholic Cemetery Association and is an incredible tool in the pre-planning process. What are my rights and privileges as a Catholic with regard to death and burial in a Catholic cemetery? What decisions can I make now? How can I make my desires known and undeniably clear to my family? Who needs to be contacted at the time of a passing? How can my assets and important papers be better organized? All these concerns and many others are addressed and the answers can even be documented in this important book.

Along with this important book, the Catholic Family Awareness Program through the Catholic Cemetery Association of the Archdiocese of Boston has implemented many new benefits and protection plans including:

• Family Protection – The loss of a family member is hard enough emotionally without even considering the financial impact. The Catholic Family Awareness protects families by forgiving any remaining financial obligation to The Catholic Cemetery Association.
• Child Protection – The loss of a child is probably the hardest thing a family could ever have to endure. The Catholic family Awareness program protects your family at this difficult time by providing a free burial space for that child to our families who have pre-planned for themselves.
• Unemployment Protection – An additional bill while possibly facing the burden of unemployment can be the straw that breaks the camel’s back for many families during these tough economic times. The Catholic Family Awareness Program will reduce installment payments to $5 per month if needed to any family that is pre-planning and is struck by the loss of a job.
• Relocation Benefit – Families often relocate for any variety of reasons, from job transfers to simply a change of scenery. The Catholic Cemetery Association will repurchase cemetery property from any family that requests so due to relocation.
• Discounts and Savings – We supply two $100 savings certificates to every family that we meet with. These certificates can be used to help with the purchase of burial rights at any Catholic Cemetery Association cemetery. These certificates have no expiration date and can even be transferred to family members or friends that may have the need for them. In addition, we provide families with information on discounted lots and new developments that can save families thousands of dollars.

You can learn all the details about these great benefits and protection programs by talking with one of our Family Service Counselors. It is simply our ministry and our mission to help our Catholic families through any means possible, to be better prepared for an inevitable time that can bring chaos, confusion and uncertainty.

Do not hesitate to call us at 781-231-4980 or e-mail us at rbaker@rcab.org for your free Catholic Family Emergency Record Guide. The book and the information are free and it is never too early to protect you and your family and provide yourself with that invaluable peace of mind.

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