Before he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New York, Father Christopher Monturo was preparing for a career as a funeral director. Today, as pastor of Sacred Heart–Our Lady of Pompeii Parish in Dobbs Ferry and a priest who regularly collaborates with some of the most respected funeral professionals in the country, Father Monturo brings a rare dual perspective to the work of caring for the bereaved.
In this engaging and deeply insightful presentation, Father Monturo will share stories from a ministry that has taken him from parish funerals to some of the most historically significant services in the Catholic Church—including the funeral of NYPD Detective and Air National Guardsman Joseph Lemm, who was killed in Afghanistan.
You’ll learn:
- How clergy and funeral directors can collaborate more effectively to serve grieving families.
- Practical ways funeral professionals can help create more meaningful and spiritually resonant funeral experiences.
- What priests wish funeral directors better understood about liturgy, ritual, and pastoral care.
- Lessons on grief, compassion, and presence from decades of ministry with bereaved families.
The remarkable story of Father Monturo’s journey from mortuary science student to priest — and how funeral service still shapes his vocation today (including his partnership with Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel in New York City) – is a talk you will not want to miss.