The tradition of providing those attending thefuneralwith a sympathy card comes from Catholic traditions about the prayer card. Plain prayer cards, not related to funerals or memorials, are still found today. A growing trend at funeral services is providing a prayer card or a memorial as a token for each person attending the funeral, acting as a personal reminder.

As a further reminder of the deceased, families often produce a funeral prayer card that is distributed to all the attendees at a funeral. After the funeral, it is common for individuals to put memorial cards into their Bibles or prayer books to remind them of a loved one who has been lost. Memorial Prayer Cards, Funeral Mass Cards, Funeral Bookmarks, and Obituary Cards are typically covered in laminated material or printed on synthetic materials, making them water-resistant and durable, creating a nice, long-lasting memorial. Typically, Catholic funeral prayer cards feature a religious image on one side, while a smaller photo of the deceased, their names, birthdates, and death dates are displayed on the other.