Planning a Funeral Liturgy |
As Catholics, we believe that God has created each person for eternal life. Our physical death, therefore, is really a preparation for eternity. It is with this belief in the promise of eternal life that we celebrate the Catholic Funeral Mass.
It is during the Funeral Liturgy that we remember not only the life of the one who has died but also the presence of the Lord Jesus in that person’s life. At the death of a Christian, whose life of faith began in Baptism and was strengthened by the Eucharist, the Church intercedes on behalf of the deceased because of its belief that death is not the end nor does it break the bonds formed in life. The Church also ministers to those who grieve the loss of a loved one and aids them in finding consolation through the funeral rites and the sacrament of the Eucharist.
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops - Bereavement and Funerals (English) (Spanish)
Some thoughts on planning a funeral by Father O'Connell...
The Catholic Church responds to the death of one of its members by offering a series of liturgies that proclaims the victory of Christ over death and his promise to share with us everlasting life. Traditionally, these liturgies include a vigil service offered during a wake, a funeral Mass celebrated in church, and a prayer service at the cemetery. In recent years, families have sometimes modified the traditional sequence of the funeral rites. On occasion, the decision is made to omit the Funeral Mass. Before a family decides to do so, I hope that they remember that the celebration of the Eucharist is the greatest response we can make to the pain created by death. In the Mass, we proclaim in an unparalleled way Christ's triumph over the grave. As we pray at Mass, "we proclaim your death, O Lord and profess your resurrection."
Of course, if the decision has been made to cremate the remains of the deceased, then the wake or committal service at the cemetery might be omitted. Still, the cremains are often brought to church to be given special blessings at Mass. A time for Christian fellowship might precede or follow the Mass. The Church instructs us to dispose of cremains with their burial or entombment in consecrated ground. The Catholic cemeteries can provide several options for this purpose. The committal service at the time of the final disposition of the cremains can be arranged by contacting the Parish Office. While we truly hope to respond to the grief of the surviving family members in an appropriate manner, I believe that the deceased's religious beliefs and personal wishes must be honored. Therefore, it is most important for each of us to communicate to those designated to carry out our final instructions how we would like to be celebrated at the end of our lives. As one who has had the responsibility of arranging the funeral rites of members of my family, I was very grateful to have been given written instructions from the deceased. These helped ease family tensions at the loss of our loved one.
Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, at both the Saint Bartholomew and Saint Pascal worship sites has dedicated parishioners who are available to help families plan funeral rites for their departed loved ones. For our members who had belonged to Our Lady of Victory Parish, our Bereavement Team includes members from that former parish as well. You will find on our website the many options for readings and prayers to help personalize the funeral. Johanna Ortegon, our Director of Music is available for consultation on the music to be played at the Liturgy. Options for readings and hymns in English, Spanish, and Polish are available for your consideration. I can also provide options in Italian.
The funeral rites of the Catholic Church remind us that our true citizenship is in heaven. As we remember our mortality, I pray the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary may truly be of service to you and your loved one at your time of need.
The Catholic Church responds to the death of one of its members by offering a series of liturgies that proclaims the victory of Christ over death and his promise to share with us everlasting life. Traditionally, these liturgies include a vigil service offered during a wake, a funeral Mass celebrated in church, and a prayer service at the cemetery. In recent years, families have sometimes modified the traditional sequence of the funeral rites. On occasion, the decision is made to omit the Funeral Mass. Before a family decides to do so, I hope that they remember that the celebration of the Eucharist is the greatest response we can make to the pain created by death. In the Mass, we proclaim in an unparalleled way Christ's triumph over the grave. As we pray at Mass, "we proclaim your death, O Lord and profess your resurrection."
Of course, if the decision has been made to cremate the remains of the deceased, then the wake or committal service at the cemetery might be omitted. Still, the cremains are often brought to church to be given special blessings at Mass. A time for Christian fellowship might precede or follow the Mass. The Church instructs us to dispose of cremains with their burial or entombment in consecrated ground. The Catholic cemeteries can provide several options for this purpose. The committal service at the time of the final disposition of the cremains can be arranged by contacting the Parish Office. While we truly hope to respond to the grief of the surviving family members in an appropriate manner, I believe that the deceased's religious beliefs and personal wishes must be honored. Therefore, it is most important for each of us to communicate to those designated to carry out our final instructions how we would like to be celebrated at the end of our lives. As one who has had the responsibility of arranging the funeral rites of members of my family, I was very grateful to have been given written instructions from the deceased. These helped ease family tensions at the loss of our loved one.
Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, at both the Saint Bartholomew and Saint Pascal worship sites has dedicated parishioners who are available to help families plan funeral rites for their departed loved ones. For our members who had belonged to Our Lady of Victory Parish, our Bereavement Team includes members from that former parish as well. You will find on our website the many options for readings and prayers to help personalize the funeral. Johanna Ortegon, our Director of Music is available for consultation on the music to be played at the Liturgy. Options for readings and hymns in English, Spanish, and Polish are available for your consideration. I can also provide options in Italian.
The funeral rites of the Catholic Church remind us that our true citizenship is in heaven. As we remember our mortality, I pray the Parish of Our Lady of the Rosary may truly be of service to you and your loved one at your time of need.
Typically, here at Our Lady of the Rosary, a member of the Ministry of Consolation will contact you to arrange a time to meet and assist you with planning the Funeral Liturgy. This website has been designed to help you understand the rituals that are used by the Church when a member of the Body of Christ dies and help you with questions you might have when planning a Funeral Mass. It also serves to provide you with selected readings, psalms, prayers of the faithful and song selections to review prior to meeting with the Ministry of Consolation. Here you will find helpful links to the following:
Typically, here at Our Lady of the Rosary, a member of the Ministry of Consolation will contact you to arrange a time to meet and assist you with planning the Funeral Liturgy. This website has been designed to help you understand the rituals that are used by the Church when a member of the Body of Christ dies and help you with questions you might have when planning a Funeral Mass. It also serves to provide you with selected readings, psalms, prayers of the faithful and song selections to review prior to meeting with the Ministry of Consolation. Here you will find helpful links to the following:
The Funeral Mass
At the Funeral Mass we offer worship, praise and thanksgiving to God for the gift of a life which has been returned to God. We are strengthened by our belief in the resurrection and find strength and consolation through our faith in God. During the Mass we are united in a living memorial of the suffering and death of Jesus in the Resurrection.
The Reception of the Deceased at the entrance to the church is a reminder that the deceased's Christian life began in Baptism and the sprinkling of holy water at this time reminds us of the person's Baptism and initiation into the community of faith.
The Placing of the Pall on the casket serves to remind us of the baptismal garment of the deceased. It is a sign of the Christian dignity of the person and also signifies that all are equal in the eyes of the Lord. It is a large white cloth that has symbols of the light of Christ and Baptism stitched on it.
Family members have the choice of placing the pall on the casket themselves, thus taking part in the liturgy for the deceased, or allowing the funeral director or pallbearers to place it. If the family chooses to do this, the funeral director will assist.
The Paschal Candle reminds us of Christ's undying presence among us, of His victory over sin and death and of our share in that victory by virtue of our baptism. The Paschal candle reminds us of the Easter vigil, the night when we await the Lord's resurrection and when new light for the living and the dead is kindled.
Incense is used during the final commendation at the Funeral Mass as a sign of honor to the body of the deceased, which through baptism became the temple of the Holy Spirit. It is also a sign of our prayers for the deceased rising to our Lord and as a symbol of farewell.
The Cross that is usually placed in or on the casket is a reminder that we, as Christians, were marked with the cross in baptism and through Jesus' suffering on the cross, we are brought to his resurrection.
White Vestments, the color used through the Easter season of the Church are worn by the presiding priest as an expression of Christian joy.
The Readings, Prayers and Psalms proclaim to us the promise of eternal life, convey the hope of being gathered together again in God's kingdom and support the witness of Christian life. Family members also have the choice of choosing the readings and the psalm appropriate for their loved one. During the Funeral Mass, a total of three readings are recommended. Family or friends of the deceased are welcome to proclaim the first two readings while the priest or deacon proclaims the Gospel.
The first reading is drawn from the Hebrew Scriptures, the Old Testament. Click here for a list of selected Old Testament Readings.
After the first reading, the cantor leads the congregation in singing the Responsorial Psalm. Click here for a list of selected Responsorial Psalms.
After the Responsorial Psalm, the second reading is drawn from the New Testament. Click here for a list of selected New Testament Readings.
Just before the Gospel, the congregation stands and sings the Alleluia. The priest or deacon then reads the selected Gospel reading. Family members are also welcome to choose the Gospel reading or they may leave the choice to the priest or deacon. Click here for a list of selected Gospel Readings.
The Homily at a Catholic Mass is meant to link the scripture passages which have been proclaimed to our reason for gathering - commending our loved one to the Risen Lord. The presider of the Mass will ordinarily personalize the homily, keeping in mind the personal reflections you have shared with us. Prior to meeting with a member of the Ministry of Consolation, you will be asked to reflect on two questions: 1) What would you most want others to know about the deceased, and, 2) What was the deceased’s relationship to his or her faith. The answers to these questions will be most helpful in personalizing the homily.
The Prayers of the Faithful are a series of prayers which are said at the conclusion of the Liturgy of the Word. These prayers are the way in which the faithful respond to the Word of God and offer prayers for the salvation of all. The prayers are introduced by the celebrating priest, then a deacon, a family member, or friend of the deceased reads the prayers and the people respond with “Lord, hear our prayer.” Click here for a list of selected of Prayers of the Faithful.
The Presentation of the Gifts is the ritual in which bread, wine and water are brought to the altar. Family members or friends of the deceased are invited to serve as gift bearers and in so doing serve as a reminder to all present of our commitment to become what we will soon share – the Body and Blood of Christ.
The Final Commendation at the end of Mass expresses our farewell and shows honor to one of its members, a temple of the Holy Spirit, before the body is buried. At this time the celebrant incenses the deceased, as together we entrust our loved one to our Lord and profess that we will share the resurrection with our loved one on the last day.
The Rite of Committal is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of its deceased member. It marks the physical separation of the deceased from the mourners. It may be celebrated at the grave, at a cemetery chapel, or a crematorium. Through this simple rite the Church assists us as we complete our care of the deceased and lay the body to rest. This rite also expresses our continued link as the Community of Saints.
A Eulogy is not part of the funeral liturgy. If the family desires a eulogy, it is fitting to be shared at the wake, the cemetery, or the luncheon that usually follows.
Music
Music is essential to the funeral rites. It allows the community to express convictions and feelings that words alone may not convey. Music has the power to console and uplift the mourners and strengthen the unit of the assembly in faith and love.
In the funeral liturgy. there are four opportunities for hymns: The Gathering Song, the Song at the Presentation of the Gifts, the Song at Communion and the Recessional Song at the end of the Mass.
The music chosen for the funeral liturgy should be chosen with great care. It should support, console and uplift the mourners and help create in them the spirit of peace of the risen Lord.
A soloist/pianist is prepared to do the music for the Funeral liturgy. If the family has their own musician whom they would like to have participate in the liturgy we would welcome their participation. Please let us know ahead of time.
With this in mind we present to the bereaved family a list of Song Selections that are appropriate to a funeral Mass. The texts of these songs offer consolation to the mourners and express the Paschal mystery of the Lord's suffering, death and triumph over death, and relate to the readings from Scripture. Special requests for a song that is not on the list will be considered providing that it is an appropriate Christian song for a funeral Mass and that we have the music for it. Please note that the words to the Songs can be found in our Companion Missal.
Cremation
Although cremation is now permitted by the Church, the Church clearly prefers that the body of the deceased be present for the Funeral Mass since the presence of the body better expresses the main beliefs that the Church affirms during the funeral ritual. At times, when circumstances recommend that the cremation of the body occur before the funeral mass, the cremated remains should be present.
The cremated remains should be buried in a grave or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium. The practice of scattering cremated remains or keeping them in the home of a relative or friend of the deceased is not considered the reverent disposition that the Church requires. After the Funeral Mass, the cremated remains should be reverently taken to the place of burial or entombment in a timely manner.
A Final Word
We hope these explanations of the rites and symbols of the Funeral Mass and other information are of help to you during the preparation of your loved one’s funeral.
If we at Our Lady of the Rosary can offer any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
