The Catholic Funeral

It is important that we, as Catholics, know not only what the Catholic Church does but why we do it, when it comes to our funeral rites. Like all liturgical rites, funerals have a specific function in the life of the Church. Catholic funeral rites actually consist of three liturgies, each serving a distinctive purpose in ministering to the bereaved and commemorating the deceased.

The first is the vigil, which takes place prior to the funeral mass, typically the preceding evening. The service consists of a Liturgy of the Word and intercessory prayer. It is typically celebrated at the funeral home but may also be celebrated at the church. It is a time for mourners to express their grief and to receive consolation. At the vigil, God’s word in Scripture is offered “as light and life in the face of darkness and death.” The vigil liturgy is the most appropriate time for a friend or family member of the deceased to offer a eulogy in their remembrance.

Next is the funeral mass. In this liturgy, the focus shifts from comforting the bereaved to praying for the departed. Not that comfort should not continue to be offered, but the primary purpose of the Catholic funeral is to pray for the repose of the soul of the dead. For this reason, the funeral liturgy takes place with the remains of the deceased and within the context of the Holy Mass, which is the highest form of prayer the Church can offer.

The third and final movement of our Catholic funeral rites is the committal or burial service. This is typically performed immediately after the funeral. The purpose of this graveside service is to bid farewell to our loved one as we lay him or her to rest, to express our hope in the resurrection, and to remember the communion that exists between the Church on earth and the Church in heaven.

These three movements together beautifully achieve all that the Church would have us do to mark the solemn occasion of the death of a loved one – we offer comfort with the vigil, pray for the repose of the soul of the dead in the funeral liturgy, and express our hope in the resurrection as we lay the dead to rest. While the Church allows cremation in addition to its preferred casket burial because our earthly remains are consecrated to God in our baptism and confirmation, the Church does not permit the cremated remains of the deceased to be scattered. Instead, they must be interred in a permanent place of rest in a consecrated location, just as non-cremated remains would be.

If you have any questions, or if you need to plan the funeral mass for a family member or loved one who has recently passed away, or wish to pre-plan a funeral for yourself to make things easier for your next of kin, please reach out to Joseph Malzone at the oŬce to begin this process.