St Francis Funeral Card (2 per page)

A St Francis funeral card is a small printed memorial keepsake that honors a loved one with the gentle imagery and prayerful spirit associated with Saint Francis of Assisi. People most often use it to hand out at a funeral, wake, or memorial Mass so attendees can remember the deceased and offer a prayer. This template is laid out two cards per page for easy printing and is free to download in PDF and DOCX — no signup required.

What Is a St Francis Funeral Card?

A St Francis funeral card is a devotional memorial card, sometimes called a holy card or prayer card, given to mourners in remembrance of someone who has died. Issued by a family, parish, or funeral home, it typically pairs a religious image or theme — here drawn from the legacy of Saint Francis, the patron of animals, ecology, and peace — with the name and life dates of the deceased. The card serves two purposes at once: it commemorates a specific person and it invites the recipient to pray. Because it is small and durable, people often keep it in a wallet, prayer book, or Bible for years afterward as a lasting token of comfort and remembrance.

When Do You Need a St Francis Funeral Card?

• To distribute at a funeral Mass, wake, or graveside service so guests have a keepsake to take home.
• To mail to friends and relatives who could not attend the service but wish to remember the deceased in prayer.
• To place at a memorial table, sign-in book, or alongside a photo display at the reception.
• To prepare in advance when a parish or funeral home assembles memorial materials for a family.
• To create on a anniversary of a death, such as a month’s mind or year’s mind, for a remembrance Mass.
• To honor someone with a special devotion to Saint Francis, animals, nature, or the Franciscan tradition.

What a St Francis Funeral Card Should Have

A complete and respectful memorial card centers on a few essential elements. First, the dedication line — most often “In Loving Memory of” — introduces the person being honored. Next comes the full name of the deceased, presented clearly and warmly. The life dates follow, showing the date of birth and date of death so the card marks the span of a life. A closing word or prayer, such as “Amen,” rounds out the devotional tone. Many families also like to add a short Franciscan prayer, a Scripture verse, or the well-known Prayer of Saint Francis on the reverse, though this template keeps the front simple, dignified, and easy to read.

How to Fill Out a St Francis Funeral Card

1. Open the template in PDF or DOCX. The layout places two identical cards on a single page, so you only fill in the details once per card.
2. Replace {Name of deceased} with the full name of the person being remembered. You may use their formal name, a familiar name, or both — for example, “Margaret ‘Peggy’ O’Brien.”
3. Enter the {Date of birth} in the first date field, choosing a consistent format such as month, day, and year.
4. Enter the {Date of death} in the second date field, matching the same format so the two dates read cleanly with the dash between them.
5. Confirm the dedication line reads “In Loving Memory of” and that the closing “Amen” appears as intended.
6. Proofread every word, especially the spelling of the name and the accuracy of both dates.
7. Copy your finished text into the second card on the page so both match, then print, cut along the divide, and distribute.

Printing and Finishing Tips

Because the design fits two cards per page, you can produce a stack of cards quickly and economically. For a sturdy keepsake, print on cardstock or heavyweight matte paper rather than standard copy paper. Use the “actual size” or “100%” setting in your print dialog so the layout is not scaled down, and print a single test page first to check alignment and color before running the full batch. After printing, cut neatly along the center using a paper trimmer for clean, even edges. Many families laminate the finished cards or have them professionally trimmed and rounded at the corners for a polished, lasting result. If you plan to add a prayer or photo on the back, run the sheets through your printer a second time, or ask a local print shop to handle double-sided printing.

Choosing Words That Comfort

The simplicity of this card is part of its strength, but you can personalize it within the same gentle spirit. The Prayer of Saint Francis — “Lord, make me an instrument of your peace” — is a natural companion text and is widely recognized across Christian traditions. A short Scripture line, a meaningful phrase the loved one often said, or a brief expression of gratitude can also be added if your version allows space. Keep the tone hopeful and unhurried; the goal is to bring peace to grieving readers, not to crowd the card. When in doubt, less text reads more beautifully and keeps the focus on the person’s name and the prayer.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Misspelling the name of the deceased — always double-check it against an official record or with the family before printing.
• Transposing or mistyping the dates of birth and death, which is easy to do when typing two similar numbers.
• Using inconsistent date formats so the two dates do not visually match around the dash.
• Forgetting to update the second card on the page, leaving one correct and one with placeholder text.
• Printing the entire batch before running a single test copy, wasting cardstock on an alignment error.
• Scaling the page in the print dialog, which can shrink the cards and throw off the cut lines.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a St Francis funeral card used for? It is a small memorial keepsake given to mourners at a funeral, wake, or memorial Mass. It honors the deceased with their name and life dates while inviting recipients to remember them in prayer, and it is often kept long afterward as a token of comfort.

Is this funeral card template free to download? Yes. You can download it from Business Forms Pro at no cost in both PDF and DOCX formats, with no signup or account required. You may edit, print, and distribute as many copies as you need.

How do I print two cards per page correctly? Open the file, fill in both cards with matching text, and print at 100% or “actual size” on cardstock. Run one test page first, then cut along the center divider for two clean, identical cards.

Can I add a prayer or photo to the card? Yes. The DOCX version is editable, so you can add a Franciscan prayer, a Scripture verse, or a photograph if there is room. Many families print a prayer such as the Prayer of Saint Francis on the reverse side of the card.

Do I need permission from a church to use it? Generally no permission is needed to create a personal memorial card for a loved one. If the cards will be used as part of a formal parish service, it is courteous to coordinate the wording and any religious imagery with the officiating clergy or funeral director.

What date format should I use for the birth and death dates? Use whichever format you prefer, but apply it consistently to both dates so they read cleanly around the dash — for example, “March 4, 1948 – November 2, 2024.” Consistency keeps the card looking neat and dignified.

This template is a general example provided for informational purposes only and is not legal, religious, or professional advice. Customs and wording for memorial cards vary by faith tradition, parish, and region — please consult your officiating clergy or funeral director for guidance specific to your situation.

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