How to Build a Catholic Funeral Program in Weeve
Step-by-step tutorial for creating a Catholic funeral program in Weeve: enter the memorial details, choose readings from the approved list, pick music, and download a print-ready PDF.
Planning a funeral happens fast, often with three or four days' notice. Weeve generates a print-ready funeral program from a short setup wizard so families don't have to design something from scratch during the hardest week of their year.
Your free standard program starts with the Traditional memorial design and suggested readings. Add memorial details and music, review the readings, and download the standard PDF with a free account. Full personalization and matching memorial stationery are $10 for this program, one time.
What you'll need before starting
- The deceased's full name (as it should appear on the cover) and birth and death dates.
- Funeral Mass date, church, and the celebrant's name.
- The four readings (First, Psalm, Second, Gospel). If undecided, see our guide to choosing funeral readings.
- Hymn selections: entrance, offertory, communion, recessional.
- For optional paid personalization: a photo, memorial note, or biography.
1. Open the builder
Go to the funeral program builder. The standard design is already prepared, and the short setup opens automatically.
2. Memorial details
Enter:
- Name of the deceased: as it should appear on the program cover.
- Birth date and date of death: both appear together on the cover.
- Funeral date: when the Mass will be celebrated.
- Church: the parish hosting the Mass.
- Celebrant: the priest officiating.
3. Readings
Keep the suggested readings or choose another option per slot. The Church provides 56 approved options for a funeral Mass:
- First Reading: 7 Old Testament options including Wisdom 3, Job 19, Isaiah 25, and 2 Maccabees 12, plus 4 from Acts and Revelation that replace them during Easter Time.
- Responsorial Psalm: 10 options, with Psalm 23 ("The Lord is my shepherd") the most common.
- Second Reading: 16 New Testament options including Romans 8 ("nothing will separate us") and 1 Corinthians 15 ("death is swallowed up in victory").
- Gospel: 19 options, the largest slot, including John 14 ("in my Father's house") and Luke 23 ("today you will be with me in Paradise").
Weeve preloads the full scripture text. If you only want to pick the Gospel and Psalm and let the priest fill the rest, that's fine. You can edit and re-save the program before you print.
Music details
Add hymn titles for the entrance, offertory, communion, and recessional in your program details. These are included in the free standard program. Your parish music director can help with selections.
Prepared prayers
The standard program uses concise ceremony wording. You can include full prayer texts through the free Ceremony options. Review these choices with your parish. Custom wording and extra sections are available with full personalization.
Additional parish details
Your church and celebrant are included in the free details. The Participants step, also free, lists pallbearers, readers, the eulogist, and others serving on the back cover. Extra sections such as parish announcements and petitions are part of the one-time personalization unlock.
Optional personalization
The free Traditional memorial design uses a cross and navy details. Print format and large text remain free. You can preview other colors, borders, artwork, photos, and memorial messages; the $10 unlock keeps those changes in your download and includes matching memorial stationery.
4. Review and download
Review the live preview and download the standard PDF with a free account. If you have tried paid options, choose the $10 unlock to keep them or download the standard design with your details, readings, and music. The unlock also removes the Weeve mark and includes Word and PowerPoint export.
Save for later
Sign in and save the program at your dashboard so you can return after your family or parish reviews it. Free accounts can save one program; a program with the $10 unlock does not count against that limit and remains available permanently.
Tips and gotchas
- You don't have to pick all four readings yourself. Many families choose the Gospel and Psalm and ask the priest to fill in the rest. You can re-open the program and update later.
- Eulogies are generally not permitted at the Funeral Mass itself, but are welcome at the vigil. Plan that text separately.
- If you also need to plan the broader funeral (vigil, committal, music, who reads), see our how-to-plan-a-Catholic-funeral checklist.
- Half-sheet layout produces a folded booklet that fits standard pew racks; full-sheet is a single 8.5×11 handout.