The Basics on Deaths, Funerals, the Death Registry and Gabriel entries:

  • If the funeral was held in your church, or the prayer service was handled by your clergy in a funeral home or somewhere that is not another Catholic church, 
    1. You record the funeral in your parish’s Death Registry book.  
    2. In Gabriel, you record the date of death for the person and change their member status to deceased.
    3. In Gabriel you record a funeral rite note using the date of the funeral or prayer service and any fields you have info for from the obituary or Death Registry Book.
    4. The Book Information Location (bottom right field) is for your Gabriel Church ID.
    5. If everyone in the family is also deceased, you change the Family status to Deceased.
  • If the deceased person is not your parishioner – you still record it in your Death Registry if it meets the criteria in #1 above, and follow steps 1a-1d.
    1. If the non-parishioner is found in Gabriel in another parish – then pull that person’s family into your parish as “sacrament only” for the purpose of recording the funeral. Once the entire family is deceased, the status should be changed to Deceased.
    2. If the non-parishioner cannot be found in Gabriel with a Family search nor a Member search – create a new family with as much info as you have about them.
    3. Follow the same steps in 1a-1d.
  • If your parishioner dies and your parish does not handle the funeral or prayer service. You do not record the death in the registry.
    1. In Gabriel, you record the date of death for the person and change their member status to deceased.
    2. In Gabriel you can “optionally” record a PRM “deceased information” note with whatever information you have, possibly taken from an obituary. 
    3. If everyone in the family is also deceased, you change the Family status to Deceased.
  • If someone is buried in your cemetery with the Rite of Christian Burial and did not have a funeral/prayer service at all, you can record this in your Death Register and treat it like a funeral in Gabriel.


Catholic Marriages - 

Definition Both persons are Catholic. 

Marriage took place in a Catholic Church Marriage was celebrated by a Priest or Deacon Catholic 

Marriages - Requirements 

5 Data Requirements 

1. The parish that will record the Sacrament in their Sacramental Registry book in the office, must also record the Sacrament in Gabriel Software. 

2. The Name of the Sacrament must be recorded in Gabriel for both members. In this case – Matrimony. 

3. The Date the Sacrament was received is required for both spouses to count the Matrimony in the correct fiscal year. This also establishes the wedding anniversary date. 

4. The Marital Status for both members must be set to “Married by Priest/Deacon” 

5. Both Spouses Non-Catholic Check Box must be unchecked

 The “Marriages By Date” report in the Report Library will help to match up Marriages recorded in Gabriel with the Sacramental registry and the difference between Catholic Marriages and Inter-Faith Marriages. 


Interfaith Marriages - 

Definition One person is not Catholic. 

Marriage took place in a Catholic Church Marriage was celebrated by a Priest or Deacon Interfaith

 Marriages - Requirements 

5 Data Requirements 

1. The parish that will record the Sacrament in their Sacramental Registry book in the office, must also record the Sacrament in Gabriel Software. 

2. The Name of the Sacrament must be recorded in Gabriel for both members. In this case – Matrimony.

 3. The Date the Sacrament was received is required for both spouses to count the Matrimony in the correct fiscal year. This also establishes the wedding anniversary date. 

4. The Marital Status for both members must be set to “Married by Priest/Deacon" 

5. One Spouse’s Non-Catholic Check Box must be checked 

The “Marriages By Date” report in the Report Library will help to match up Marriages recorded in Gabriel with the Sacramental registry and the difference between Catholic Marriages and Inter-Faith Marriages.


Click below to read an article about Death & Marriage.