Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic funeral rite is a sacred act that helps bereaved families mourn, pray, and find consolation in the company of friends and neighbours. It is divided into several stations or parts, each with its own purpose. The funeral ceremony usually follows a strict order of prayer, songs, blessings, and Holy Communion. The Vigil, or the wake, is a prayer service usually held the evening before the funeral, where family and friends gather to pray and remember the deceased. The funeral Mass or ceremony follows, where the priest sprinkles holy water on the coffin and incenses it. The final act is the Rite of Committal, where the body is buried or interred, and the priest blesses the burial or interment site. While the Catholic Church prefers that the full body be present for funeral rites, cremation is now acceptable, provided it is not chosen for reasons contrary to Christian teaching.
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What You'll Learn
The funeral ceremony
A Catholic funeral is a religious service held for someone of the Catholic faith who has passed away. It is believed by Catholics that the soul lives on after death, either in Heaven or Hell, but also in Purgatory—a place for souls who have committed forgivable sins, who may eventually end up in Heaven. Thus, the Catholic funeral is a time to appeal to God to be merciful to the deceased person's soul.
The Funeral Mass is the traditional funeral ceremony, also known as a Requiem Mass, as it includes Holy Communion and commemorates Christ's death and resurrection. Family and friends may bring the bread and wine to the altar ahead of the Eucharistic Prayer, after which Holy Communion is offered. A family member or close friend may then speak briefly in memory of the deceased. The priest then sprinkles the coffin with holy water and incenses it, before a song of farewell, usually a hymn.
The Rite of Committal is the conclusion of the funeral rite, taking place at the cemetery or crematorium. It is the final act of the community of faith in caring for the body of the deceased. The priest reads a verse of scripture and says special prayers, before those gathered recite the Lord's Prayer and the priest delivers a blessing. The rite may end with a hymn or song.
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The Vigil Service
A vigil service, also known as a wake, is a common practice in Catholic funeral traditions. It is a quiet and solemn event for loved ones to gather and mourn. The Vigil Service usually takes place during the period of visitation and viewing at the funeral home, either the evening before the funeral liturgy or on the morning of the funeral at the church. The body is usually present, with the casket open or closed, or the cremated remains may be present. The vigil is a formal time of prayer that often takes place during the viewing.
The Vigil may be led by a member of the clergy, or others may be selected by the family for leadership and participation. The participation of the bereaved family members is encouraged in developing and leading a Vigil.
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The Rite of Committal
The mourners accompany the coffin to the graveside for the Rite of Committal. There, the priest reads a verse of scripture and says special prayers. The priest sprinkles the coffin with holy water and incenses it. The mourners then sing a song of farewell, usually a hymn. The rite ends with the mourners reciting the Lord's Prayer and the priest delivering a blessing. The rite may end with another hymn or song.
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Cremation
The Catholic Church has long preferred the burial of the body over cremation, believing that it shows greater esteem towards the deceased and better expresses the values affirmed in its funeral rites. This is based on the belief in the resurrection of the body, as demonstrated by Christ.
However, in 1963, the Church lifted the prohibition on cremation, and this was incorporated into the revised Code of Canon Law in 1983. The Church now allows for cremation, providing that family members making that decision are not doing so because they believe the body is lost forever and has no future together in Christ with the immortal soul.
The Church's Funeral Rites may now be celebrated in the presence of the cremated remains, although it is still preferred that the rites take place with the body present. The Church strongly recommends that cremation takes place after the funeral liturgy with the body. The cremated remains should be buried in a grave, entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium, or placed in a niche, cremation bench, or monument.
The Church does not permit cremated remains to be scattered or kept in a domestic residence. They must be laid to rest in a sacred place, such as a Catholic cemetery, to ensure that due respect is shown to the deceased.
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Beliefs about death and the afterlife
The Catholic Church teaches that death is when the soul separates from the body, and the soul stands before God for judgement. Depending on how they have lived their life, the soul will then go to Heaven, Hell, or Purgatory. Those who are free from all sin enter Heaven immediately. Heaven is the ultimate end and fulfilment of human longings, a state of supreme, definitive happiness.
Purgatory is a place of purification for those who are not yet fully purified, but are assured a place in Heaven after their time there. The prayers of those still living can help a soul in Purgatory enter Heaven sooner. Hell is for those who have rejected God and his love.
The Catholic Church teaches that humanity will face two judgements. The first judgement, called the particular judgement, happens at the moment of death. The second judgement, the Last Judgement, will come at the end of time when all of humanity will be raised from the dead and body and soul will be reunited. All souls will be judged by Christ, who will have returned in glory.
Catholic funeral rites are divided into several stations or parts, each with its own purpose. The first is the Reception of the Body or Prayer Vigil, which usually takes place the evening before the funeral. The second is the funeral Mass or a funeral service without Mass. The third is the Rite of Committal, which takes place at the cemetery or crematorium.
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