Why A Catholic Funeral?
Through the Sacrament of Baptism, all are initiated into the Christian community and made a member of Christ’s Body. The indelible mark of baptism on a soul can never be removed; therefore, at the time of our death, each of us is entitled to a Catholic funeral and burial from the parish community. In fact, this is noted in the Code of Canon Law no. 1176 which governs the Catholic Church:
Deceased members of the Christian faithful must be given ecclesiastical funerals according to the norm of law.
Sadly, in today’s age where many members of the Christian faithful have stopped practicing the faith, family members and/or friends do not know how to request a Catholic funeral. All that the family or friends of the deceased simply need to do is to request a Catholic funeral by having the Funeral Home contact Our Lady of Consolation or by contacting Our Lady of Consolation directly.
For all practicing Catholics, it is highly recommended that you explicity make known to your family and friends in writing (including in your will), that you want a Catholic funeral. As previously noted, you are entitled to a funeral by reason of your baptism.
Catholic Funeral Rites
The funeral rites are not empty rituals: they are efficacious for both the soul of the deceased and for the family and friends who are grieving. The Order of Christian Funerals (OCF) states this beautifully in paragraphs 4 and 5:
At the death of a Christian, whose life of faith was begun in the waters of baptism and strengthened at the eucharistic table, the Churhc intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its confident belief that death is not the end nor does it break the bonds forged in life. The Church also ministers to the sorrowing and consoles them in the funeral rites with the comforting word of God and the sacrament of the Eucharist.
Christians celebrate the funeral rites to offer worship, praise, and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has now been returned to God, the author of life and the hope of the just. The Mass, the memorial of Christ’s death and resurrection, is the principal celebration of the Christian funeral.
In the Church’s Sacred Liturgy, there are three elements of the funeral which are laid out and described by the Order of Christian Funerals. Each of these liturgies has a distinct reason, function, and purpose. It is extremely desirable that each funeral contain all three.
Vigil for the Deceased
The Vigil for the Deceased (sometimes referred to as a “Wake”) is the “principal rite celebrated by the Christian community in the time following death and before the funeral liturgy” (OCF, 54). The Vigil for the Deceased is generally held at the Funeral Home the evening prior to the Funeral Mass or the Committal. The Vigil for the Deceased can be led by a priest or deacon. The OCF notes in no. 56:
At the vigil the Christian community keeps watch with the family in prayer to the God of mercy and finds strength in Christ’s presence. It is the first occasion among the funeral rites for the solemn reading of the word of God. In this time of loss the family and community turn to God’s word as the source of faith and hope, as light and life in the face of darkness and death. Consoled by the redeeming word of God and by the abiding presence of Christ and his Spirit, the assembly at the vigil calls upon the Father of mercy to receive the deceased into the kingdom of light and peace.
At the end of the Vigil Liturgy is an opportunity for family and friends to speak words of remembrance about the deceased.
The Order of the Vigil is as follows:
- Greeting
- Opening Song
- Opening Prayer
- Scripture Reading
- Responsorial Psalm
- Gospel
- Homily
- Litany
- The Lord’s Prayer
- Concluding Prayer and Blessing
Funeral Liturgy
The central liturgical celebration of the Christian funeral rites is the Liturgy. In almost all circumstances, this liturgy should be a Funeral Mass. There are times when a Mass is not possible and in that case, a Funeral Liturgy outside Mass can be celebrated. The Funeral Mass takes place in the parish church of the deceased or in another church if the family and friends of the deceased request it and have approval of the pastor. A Funeral Liturgy outside Mass can take place in the parish church or in the funeral home. For a Mass, a bishop or priest is needed; for a funeral outside Mass, a deacon may preside over the liturgy.
A common misconception is that the Funeral Mass is a celebration of the deceased’s life. This is an incorrect view of the liturgy. In regards to the Funeral Liturgy, the OCF says in no. 129:
At the funeral liturgy the community gathers with the family and friends of the deeceased to give praise and thanks to God for Christ’s victory over sin and death, to commend the deceased to God’s tender mercy and compassion, and to seek strength in the proclamation of the paschal mystery. Through the Holy Spirit the community is joined together in fath as one Body in Christ to reaffirm in sign and symbol, word and gesture that each believer through baptism shares in Christ’s death and resurrection and can look to the day when all the elect will be raised up and united in the kingdom of light and peace.
The Funeral Liturgy is the celebration of what Christ has done to save the soul of the deceased and indeed, each believer present, by means of his Passion, Death, and Resurrection. The Liturgy is not meant to focus on the deceased by memorializing him or her by means of a eulogy. For this reason, words of remembrance by family and friends are generally not permitted.
Because the Church believes in the resurrection of the body, it is highly desirable and preferred that the body of the deceased be present at the Vigil and the Funeral Mass. If the deceased wished to be cremated or the family and friends have that preference, it is suggested that cremation wait until after the funeral. If it is not possible for the body to be present, ashes are permitted at the funeral. There are slight adaptations made to the rite in this case.
The Order of the Funeral Liturgy is a normal Mass with the following differences:
- At the beginning, the body is received at the doors of the church and sprinkled with Holy Water and covered with a pall
- After Communion, the body is incensed during the Final Commendation which includes prayers and a hymn
In the case of a Funeral outside Mass, all is the same as a Mass but without the Liturgy of the Eucharist.
Rite of Committal
The final part of the Catholic Funeral Rites is the Rite of Committal. It is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of its deceased member. The committal rite may be celebrated at the grave, tomb, and may be used for burial at sea. The OCF notes that “whenever possible, the rite of committal is to be celebrated at the site of committal, that is, beside the open grave or place of interment.” (no. 204). A bishop, priest, deacon, and in extraordinary circumstances, a layperson, can lead the Rite of Committal. The OCF says in no. 206:
In committing the body to its resting place, the community expresses the hope that, with all those who have gone before marked with the sign of faith, the deceased awaits the glory of the resurrection. The rite of committal is an expression of the communion that exists between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven: the deceased passes with the farewell prayers of the community of believers into the welcoming company of those who need faith no longer but see God face to face.
The Rite of Committal in many respects is the final act of letting go. In seeing our brother or sister in the faith lowered into the ground, we truly know that he or she is no longer with us, but is commended to God and his unending mercy.
The order of the Rite of Committal is short, but very meaningful:
- Opening Invitation
- Scripture Verse
- Prayer over the Place of Committal
- Committal
- Intercessions
- The Lord’s Prayer
- Concluding Prayer and Blessing